PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]
For Immediate Release: May 19, 2004
Contact: Armen Carapetian
Telephone: 818.500.1918
NEVADA ARMENIAN AMERICANS WILL PLAY CRUCIAL ROLE IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Bush Approval Rating in Jeopardy With Armenian American Voters Due
to Poor Record on Community Concerns
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA –The explosive growth of the Armenian American
community in Nevada may be the deciding factor in the upcoming
Presidential elections in November as both President George W. Bush
and Senator John Kerry battle it out on the road to the White
House. Along with swing states like New Hampshire, New Mexico,
Michigan and Iowa–Nevada’s five electoral votes are coveted by the
Presidential candidates, in a race that many political observers and
pundits view as “razor close.”
Since 1990, Nevada’s population and economy has grown at a torrid
pace, adding roughly 4,700 residents a month, according to an article
which appeared in The Los Angeles Times on May 6, 2004 by journalist
Mark Barabak. The author noted that Nevada’s population now exceeds
2.2 million–close to double the figure of 14 years ago. The state’s
largest Armenian American advocacy group–the Armenian National
Committee of Nevada (ANCN)–estimates that the Armenian community
has increased five-fold over the last decade. The ANCN estimates that
over 8,000 Armenian Americans now call Nevada home.
“The quick growth of our community in Nevada is a sign of changing
times and will result in a more prominent role for Armenian American
voters in this state,” remarked ANCN Chairman Hriyr Dadaian. “We
already have great relationships with Senator Ensign, Congresswoman
Shelley Berkley and a number of other public officials and we look
forward to expanding our circle of friends. Like everyone else here,
we are watching the Presidential election very closely,” Dadaian added.
Last month the ANCN honored Senator John Ensign (R-NV) as its
“Man of the Year” for introducing legislation that marked the
15th anniversary of the official US adoption of the United Nations
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocides. Senator
Ensign co-authored Senate Resolution 164 with Senator Corzine (D-NJ)
and has 39 co-sponsors, well over a third of the Senate.
“The outcome of the upcoming Presidential election is going
to come down to a few key states,” speculated ANCA-WR Executive
Director, Ardashes Kassakhian. “And we are working on mobilizing all
Armenian-Americans throughout the United States to ensure double the
voter turnout from four years ago.”
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest
and most influential Armenian American grassroots political
organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices,
chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns
of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.