 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Armenian National Committee of Florida
P.O. Box 741364 Boynton Beach, Florida 33474-1364
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release ~ 2004-10-15
Contact: Michael Toumayan ~ 561-381-1082 |
FLORIDA SENATE CANDIDATE SCORES 100% ON ANCA QUESTIONNAIRE |
 |
Betty Castor Signals Support for Genocide Recognition, Increased Aid,
Expanded Trade, and an End to the Blockades |
|
WASHINGTON, DC - In a move welcomed by Florida's growing Armenian community, "Sunshine State" Senate hopeful Betty Castor responded positively to each of the nine questions on the Armenian National Committee Of America (ANCA) Candidate Questionnaire.
The Questionnaire features nine questions about recognition of the Armenian Genocide; U.S. support for Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh; U.S.-Armenia economic relations; Self-determination for Nagorno-Karabakh; Conditions on U.S. aid to Azerbaijan; the Turkish blockade of Armenia, and; the U.S. subsidy of the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline bypass of Armenia.
Despite its growing Armenian community, estimated at over 30,000, Florida remains among the shrinking number of states in which neither Senator has cosponsored the Genocide Resolution, S.Res.164. or actively supported Armenian American issues. Both Senators - freshman Bill Nelson (D) and Bob Graham (D), who is retiring after three six-year terms in the Senate - have been largely unsupportive of Armenian American issues and unresponsive to the concerns of sizable Armenian communities in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Ocala, Orlando, Fort Meyer, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, and elsewhere throughout the state.
Castor is running against Mel Martinez, the Bush Administration's former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, to succeed Senator Graham. The race is widely considered to be among the most competitive in the nation. Castor has served as a state senator, as Florida Education Commissioner, and as a university president. She founded the nationally recognized Healthy Kids insurance program.
Those interested in learning Mel Martinez's positions on Armenian American issues can contact his campaign and urge him to complete the ANCA Candidate Questionnaire. His campaign manager, Scott Barnhart, can be reached by phone through the campaign's operator at (407) 897-3130; the campaign's political director, Nathan Blake, can be contacted via email at nate@melforsenate.org. For complete contact information for the Martinez campaign, click here.
The Armenian National Committee of South Florida commended one of its local activists, Michael Toumayan, for urging Betty Castor, in behalf of the ANC of South Florida, to state her positions on Armenian issues by filling-out the ANCA Candidate Questionnaires. In addition Michael has also worked closely with the Castor's senior aides and arranged for the campaign to send a representative to deliver an address to the Armenian Americans attending the Florida "Kef for Kerry" on October 24, 2004.
For an Adobe PDF version of the ANCA Questionnaire, click here.
The ANCA chapter contacts for Florida are:
ANC - Central Florida
Ara Manoogian
aracar@earthlink.net
ANC - Gulf Coast
Richard O'Brien
fladem04@yahoo.com
ANC South Florida
Bedros Der Bedrossian
ancflorida@att.net
#####
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
 |
|
Stratomedia, Inc.
