By Raffi Hamparian / ANCA National Board Member
Do you have more than one friend who is registered to vote? If your answer is yes, then you are a political power-broker. In our America today, more and more elections are being decided by smaller and smaller margins. That goes for mayoral contests, state legislative races and, as you have seen, for Congressional elections and even the race for the White House.
Just ask Todd Thomsen who defeated Darrel Nemecek, by a grand total of two votes, in their 2006 race for a seat in the Oklahoma State House (25th District). The exact margin of victory – the two votes – represented 0.020846% of the total votes cast in the election, which was 9,594.
The simple truth is that two people, you and your registered voter friend for example, could have sent Mr. Nemecek to the Oklahoma legislature and not the other way around. That is a lot of power for two people to have, but that is the power our democracy gives you, to your registered voter friend, and really, to all of us.
The history of razor close elections in the United States is the stuff of legend. Consider the Bush/Gore race in Florida in 2000 that came down to 537 votes out of a total of 5,962,657, and was ultimately decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Or consider the lesser known fact that only 174 votes out of a total of 677,944 cast helped former President Theodore Roosevelt defeat Woodrow Wilson in the California presidential primary of 1912.
All of these examples, from Todd Thomsen in Oklahoma to Theodore Roosevelt’s razor thin victory in California, are clear evidence that close elections happen. I believe close elections will continue on pace, especially with American voters becoming more evenly divided between their visions of how our nation should be governed. This largely even split between the American electorate provides Armenian American voters powerful leverage to play a decisive role, in local, state and federal races during the 2012 elections cycle. As a community, we represent the full spectrum of American political thought, but – when Armenian issues are concerned – Armenian American voters have shown a truly remarkable willingness to cross party lines to back candidates who support our issues.
Read more. . .
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ANCA Election Guide 2012
Review the ANCA Position on the Presidential race & Congressional races in your area.
>> OBAMA V. ROMNEY: The ANCA Withholds Endorsement in U.S. Presidential Race. Learn why…
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>> Where do your Senators & Representative stand on Armenian American concerns? Check out the ANCA Congressional
Report Cards
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>> Just want to know who the ANCA is supporting?
Here’s the full ANCA Congressional endorsement list.
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>> Congressional districts changed after the 2010 Census.
Click here and find the candidates running in your area.
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>> Check out expanded ANCA Endorsement coverage in The Armenian Weekly and Asbarez.
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ANCA Throws Community’s Electoral Support Behind Over 140 House and Senate Candidates with Proven Track Records on Armenian American Issues
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has thrown the Armenian American community’s political and electoral strength behind House and Senate candidates from across more than 30 states with proven track records of support on issues of special concern to both Armenian Americans and friends of Armenia.
“We are, once again, gratified to offer our Congressional endorsements as a resource to help Armenian American voters make informed decisions at the ballot box on November 6th,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “With so many Senate and House races being hotly contested, we encourage all Armenian Americans to go to the polls fully armed with all the facts about each candidate’s words and – more importantly – their real-world actions on Armenian American issues.”
The ANCA endorsements are based primarily on ANCA Congressional Report Cards, a detailed review of each incumbent’s record across a broad range of Armenian American issues. These Report Cards, prepared in consultation with ANCA Regional offices and local ANCs across the country, cover issues ranging from securing a just resolution of the Armenian Genocide and forcing Turkey’s return of Armenian and other Christian religious properties, to strengthening U.S.-Armenia relations, defending Nagorno Karabakh’s independence, and increasing U.S. aid and trade levels with Armenia.
Among the grading criteria were each Member’s willingness to advance pro-Armenian American legislative initiatives (resolutions, letters, etc.), including the Armenian Genocide Resolution, the Return of Churches Resolution, and pro-Armenian provisions of the foreign aid bill, as well as their support for Nagorno Karabakh. Other factors include their membership in the Armenian Caucus, attendance at Armenian civic and community events, and their support for human rights issues related to Darfur and Cyprus.
The 2012 ANCA Report Cards include:
* A point-by-point analysis of each incumbent’s support on key legislation, Congressional “Dear Colleague” letters, participation and leadership in initiatives and events held in the nation’s capital and in local communities.
* Congressional Notes highlighting key initiatives taken by individual House and Senate Members – from Congressional speeches to other undertakings of special concern to the Armenian American community.
* A detailed accounting of Turkish and Azerbaijani Government lobby efforts targeting Senators and Representatives during the 112th Congress, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice Foreign Agent Registration division (www.fara.gov).
Click here to review the ANCA Congressional Report Cards for candidates running in your area and across the country.
Click here to review of the list of ANCA Endorsed Candidates
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Published by the Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 775-1918, Fax: (202) 775-5648, E-mail: anca@anca.org, Web: www.anca.org
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