Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
Internet
PRESS RELEASE
January 9, 2008
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ARMENIAN AMERICANS SET TO PLAY PIVOTAL ROLE IN PRIMARIES
— Large Numbers of Voters in Key States: California, New York,
Michigan, Massachusetts, Illinois, Connecticut, and New Jersey
WASHINGTON, DC – In the wake of the hotly contested Iowa caucus and
New Hampshire primary, Armenian Americans are better positioned
than ever to play a decisive role in the key states that will help
choose the Presidential nominees of the Republican and Democratic
parties over the next 30 days, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).
In recent weeks, the ANCA has invited each of the candidates to
share their views on Armenian Americans issues, and to comment on
both the growing relationship between the U.S. and Armenian
governments and the enduring bonds between the American and
Armenian peoples. Questionnaires sent to the candidates have
invited them to respond to a set of 18 questions, including those
addressing:
* Affirmation of the Armenian Genocide
* U.S.-Armenia economic, political, and military relations
* Self-determination for Nagorno Karabagh
* The Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades
* The genocide in Darfur
"Armenian Americans are set to cast their votes in the presidential
primaries in record numbers," said ANCA Eastern Region Executive
Director Karine Birazian. "We look forward to working with all the
campaigns to make sure that Armenian American voters go to the
polls empowered to make informed decisions about the candidates who
will best represent our community’s views and values."
"In California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, and throughout the
Western part of the country, Armenian American voters are in a
position to play a truly decisive role in this year’s highly
competitive battle between the candidates to secure the nominations
of their party," said ANCA Western Region Executive Director Andrew
Kzirian.
Key States:
Among the key states with large Armenian American communities to
hold either primaries or caucuses over the next 30 days are the
following:
January 15th:
Michigan primary (60,000 Armenian Americans)
Michigan has been, for nearly a century, one of the largest and
most vibrant Armenian American communities, with large numbers of
families in the Detroit area and throughout the state. This
contest is widely viewed as pivotal in the selection of the
Republican nominee. The Michigan primary has lost considerable
significance to Democratic candidates since conflicts over timing
led the Democratic National Committee to decide not to count
delegates from this contest.
January 19th and 26th:
Nevada Caucus (10,000 Armenian Americans)
South Carolina Primary (3,000 Armenian Americans)
Both Nevada and South Carolina have witnessed an influx of young
professional Armenian Americans over the past decade, with a
growing number of California Armenians relocating to Nevada, and a
steady stream of Northeast Armenians moving south to the Columbia
and Charleston areas. Republicans vote in South Carolina on
January 19th, Democrats a week later on the 26th.
January 29th:
Florida primary (35,000 Armenian Americans)
Florida’s Armenian American community, located in and around Miami,
Boca Raton, Orlando, Ocala, Naples, and Tampa, played a decisive
role in the closely contested 2000 Presidential election. This
year’s primary will play an important role in the Republican
nomination contest, but not on the Democratic side, which has, due
to conflicts over timing, chosen not to count delegates from
Florida.
February 5th:
Super Tuesday
The large and active Armenian American communities, in eight of the
states that will hold contests on Super Tuesday, are watching the
field of candidates:
Arizona Primary (15,000 Armenian Americans)
California Primary (600,000 Armenian Americans)
Colorado Caucus (8,000 Armenian Americans)
Connecticut Primary (20,000 Armenian Americans)
Illinois Primary (45,000 Armenian Americans)
Massachusetts Primary (120,000 Armenian Americans)
New Jersey Primary (75,000 Armenian Americans)
New York Primary (100,000 Armenian Americans)
The ANCA voter network:
Armenian Americans in these states, and throughout the country,
represent a motivated and highly networked constituency of more
than one and a half million citizens spread across key primary and
general election states. Armenian American voters are well
represented in both the Democratic and Republican parties and
across the political spectrum, and have consistently demonstrated a
willingness to cross party lines to vote for candidates who have
supported issues of special concern to the community.
The ANCA mobilizes Armenian American voters through a network of
over 50 chapters and a diverse array of affiliates, civic
advocates, and supporters nationwide. ANCA mailings reach over a
quarter of a million homes, and, through the internet, updates and
action alerts reach well over 100,000 households. The ANCA
website, which features election coverage from an Armenian American
point of view, attracts over 100,000 unique visits a month. The
ANCA also has broad reach to Armenian American voters via a
sophisticated media operation of newspapers, regional cable shows,
satellite TV, blogs, and internet news sites.
Review of the Major Candidates:
Democrats:
Hillary Clinton:
As a Senator, Hillary Clinton has, since 2002, cosponsored
successive Armenian Genocide resolutions, however she publicly
voiced reservations about the adoption of the current resolution in
an October 10, 2007 meeting with the Boston Globe editorial board.
She joined Senate colleagues in cosigning letters to President Bush
in 2005 and 2006 urging him to recognize the Armenian Genocide.
Hillary Clinton for President
4420 North Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA 22203
Tel: 703-469-2008
Website:
John Edwards:
As a Senator, John Edwards cosponsored successive Armenian Genocide
Resolutions beginning in 2002. He also supported Section 907
restrictions on U.S. aid to Azerbaijan, due to its ongoing blockade
of Armenia. As a Presidential candidate in 2004, he stated that the
"time is to recognize the Armenian Genocide" and that Turkey’s
blockade of Armenia must end. His advocacy on behalf of the family
of 17-year-old Nataline Sarkisyan, who died after her insurance
company denied funding for a liver transplant, has been warmly
received by Armenian Americans around the country.
John Edwards for President
410 Market Street, Suite 400
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Tel: (919) 636-3131
Website:
Barack Obama:
As a Senator, Barack Obama has spoken in support of U.S.
affirmation of the Armenian Genocide and cosigned a letter urging
President Bush to recognize the Armenian Genocide, but has yet to
cosponsor the Armenian Genocide Resolution. While visiting
Azerbaijan in August 2005, Senator Obama was asked by reporters why
he cosigned the letter to President Bush. Obama defended his
decision by stating the genocide was a historical fact. He
publicly criticized the firing of former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
John Evans, who was dismissed for speaking truthfully about the
Armenian Genocide, but voted for Richard Hoagland, the nominee to
replace Evans, who had denied the Armenian Genocide in his
responses to Senate inquiries.
Obama for America
P.O. Box 8102
Chicago, IL 60680
Tel: (866) 675-2008
Website:
Republicans:
Rudy Giuliani:
As Mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani issued several
Armenian Genocide proclamations and attended ANC-NY
Armenian Genocide commemorations in City Hall. In 2001, he
hosted His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All
Armenians, for breakfast in the Mayor’s residence, Gracie
Mansion.
Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee
295 Greenwich St, #371
New York, NY 10007
Tel: 212-835-9449
Website: http://
Mike Huckabee:
As Governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee issued a 2001 proclamation
commemorating the Armenian Genocide that noted that Turkey
continues to deny this crime and that Armenians have yet to receive
reparations. He also issued a proclamation marking a "Day of
Remembrance of the Turkish and Armenian Tragedy" – a euphemistic
attempt to obscure the genocidal intent of Ottoman Turkey toward
its Armenian subjects. The local Armenian community’s
disappointment with this second proclamation was covered by the
Arkansas News Bureau, which quoted ANC-Arkansas spokesperson Leo
Stepanian as saying: "It was not a tragedy. It was a genocide."
Huckabee for President
P.O. Box 2008
Little Rock, Arkansas 72203
Tel: 501-324-2008
Website:
John McCain:
As a Senator, John McCain has opposed the Armenian Genocide
Resolution and not been supportive of other Armenian American
issues. At a town hall meeting on Sunday, January 6, 2008 Senator
McCain was reported to have answered a question on the Armenian
Genocide by noting that he recognizes the Armenian Genocide, but
opposes the Armenian Genocide Resolution due to the Turkish
government’s sensitivities. In correspondence with Arizona
constituents he wrote, in October of 2007, that, "Condemning modern
Turkey for the acts of the Ottoman Empire would serve only to harm
relations with the Turkish people while injecting the Congress into
the sensitive role of historian of a period clearly preceding the
births of all but a very few congressmen. That is not a
development I wish to help facilitate."
In 1989, Senator McCain introduced legislation supporting a
peaceful and fair settlement of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict and
later supported Section 907 and the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act.
Later, in 1999, he voted against maintaining Section 907.
John McCain 2008
P.O. Box 16118
Arlington, VA 22215
Tel: 703-418-2008
Website:
Mitt Romney:
As Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney is not on record as
having issued Armenian Genocide proclamations or having taken other
meaningful official public actions in support of Armenian American
issues.
Romney for President
P.O. Box 55899
Boston, MA 02205-5899
Phone: (857) 288-6400
Website:
As always, the ANCA welcomes feedback on its service to the
Armenian American community. Please forward your thoughts and
suggestions about the 2008 Presidential election by email to
[email protected].