WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) welcomed President-elect Barack Obama and Vice-President-elect Joe Biden’s historic win yesterday as a new and powerful opportunity for American recognition of the Armenian Genocide, stronger U.S.-Armenia relations, and U.S. support for a settlement of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict that respects its citizens’ right to self-determination.

The ANCA also welcomed the election yesterday of 94% of the Congressional candidates it had endorsed in House and Senate races.

“The victory of Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden stands as a testament to the strength of grassroots activism across the United States committed to change,” stated ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian.

“Starting with the ANCA’s endorsement of Senator Obama in January of this year, Armenian Americans in battleground states – organized by an extremely effective and far-reaching Armenians for Obama operation – played a critical role in bringing Armenian American Democrats, Independents and a surprisingly large percentage of Republicans to the Obama-Biden ticket on Election Day. Our pre-election polls showed between 80 and 85% support for Obama-Biden in our community, a very strong showing, particularly in a community well represented across the American political spectrum, and a testament to the fact that Armenian Americans are willing to cross party lines to support pro-Armenian candidates.”

“In many ways, this election marked the emergence of the Armenian American community as a powerful and broadly respected Presidential election constituency, one that is able – through grassroots efforts, campaign professionals, fundraising, media outreach, and get-out-the-vote – to help tip the balance in a close national contest toward the candidate best positioned to reflect our views and values,” concluded Hachikian.

President-elect Obama was consistently strong in his outreach to Armenian American voters, issuing a powerful statement in January, 2008, voicing his vigorous support for passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution and pledging that, as President, he would recognize the Armenian Genocide. The Presidential hopeful also reaffirmed his support for a strong “U.S.-Armenian relationship that advances our common security and strengthens Armenian democracy.” Unlike other candidates, he also pledged to “promote Armenian security by seeking an end to the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades, and by working for a lasting and durable settlement of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict that is agreeable to all parties, and based upon America’s founding commitment to the principles of democracy and self determination.” President-Elect Obama restated his pledge on two subsequent occasions, the last one in the form of a fact sheet issued just four days before the Presidential election, which stated in no uncertain terms “Barack Obama strongly supports passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.106 and S.Res.106) and will recognize the Armenian Genocide.”

Click here to Read Senator Obama and Biden’s records on Armenian American concerns.

Despite his 15 point deficit in the polls in the Democratic primary, the ANCA endorsed President-Elect Obama in the January 2008 in the weeks leading up to the crucial Super Tuesday primary elections. In the months following this endorsement, ANCA chapters worked with a network of Armenians for Obama activists spanning the country – from the battleground states of Nevada to New Hampshire — showing unprecedented community participation in all levels of the campaign activity. Volunteers in the traditionally large Armenian American communities of California, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey – traditional democratic strongholds – reached out to the swing states of Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Virginia in pursuit of an Obama victory. The Armenians for Obama Facebook group had close to 3000 activists, and nearly 9,000 people watched author Samantha Power’s YouTube video in support of the Obama campaign.

94% of ANCA Endorsed Congressional Candidates Elected; Several Key Races Still Too Close to Call

ANCA endorsed candidates won overwhelmingly in the House, with 201 of 211 endorsed candidates securing decisive wins. Among those winning in tight House races, with the Armenian American support, were Armenian Genocide Resolution supporters Mike McCaul (R-TX), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), Tim Walz (D-MD) and Florida Representatives Lincoln Diaz Balart (R), Mario Diaz Balart (R) and Ron Klein (D-FL). Among those losing highly competitive races were Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), Tim Walberg (R-MI) as well as House Foreign Affairs Committee member and supporter Steve Chabot (R-OH). Armenian American Congresswomen Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Jackie Speier (D-CA) won their reelection bids overwhelming with 70% and 75% respectively. ANC OH chairman Dave Krikorian (OH-2) garnered an impressive 18% in his independent Congressional bid, laying a solid foundation for future electoral campaigns.

In the Senate, 11 of 15 ANCA endorsed candidates won their election bids, with the Minnesota Senate race featuring ANCA endorsed Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Democrat Al Franken as well as the Oregon race between Sen. Gordon Smith (R) and ANCA endorsed Jeff Merkley (D) still too close to call. Winners included Armenian Genocide Resolution lead sponsor Richard Durbin (D-IL), John Kerry (D-MA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Carl Levin (D-MI) as well as Mark Udall (D-CO) and Tom Udall (D-NM), who moved from the House to the Senate. Sen. Joe Biden also won his Senate seat; however, with his election to Vice-President, Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner will appoint his successor. Among Senate supporters who lost their election bids were North Carolina Senator Elizabeth Dole (R) and New Hampshire Senator John Sununu (R).

Key Opponents of Armenian Genocide Legislation Defeated

Among key opponents of Armenian American concerns leaving Congress at the end of this term are Reps. Nancy Boyda (D-KS), Thelma Drake (R-VA), Phil English (R-PA), Randy Kuhl (R-NY), and Chris Shays (R-CT) – all of whom lost their re-election bids yesterday. Armenian Genocide resolution opponents retiring this term are Representatives Bud Cramer (D-AL), Terry Everett (R-AL), James Saxton (R-PA) and Tom Tancredo (R-CO).

ANCA / Horizon TV Provide Live Election Night Coverage

Armenian Americans in Southern California and around the nation followed the election returns live with the ANCA and Horizon Television team during a five hour Horizon cable and satellite broadcast and simultaneous webcast on the ANCA website (www.anca.org.) Hosted by Horizon TV’s Manoug Seraydarian and ANC Western Region Representative Ani Garabedian, the program featured on-site elections updates by ANCA activists from Hawaii to New York, phoning in live from Congressional election events across the country. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Assemblyman Paul Krekorian (D-CA) provided their insights as well as The Politico’s National Politics Editor Charlie Mahtesian along with a host of ANCA national and regional board members and staff.

The complete list of ANCA Endorsed candidates and their election results is provided below.

Alabama

District #7: Artur Davis (D) – won election

American Samoa

District #AL: Eni Faleomavaega (D) – won election

Arizona

District #4: Ed Pastor (D) – won election
District #7: Raul Grijalva (D) – won election
District #8: Gabrielle Giffords (D) – won election

California

District #1: Mike Thompson (D) – won election
District #3: Dan Lungren (R) – won election
District #5: Doris Matsui (D) – won election
District #6: Lynn Woolsey (D) – won election
District #7: George Miller (D) – won election
District #8: Nancy Pelosi (D) – won election
District #9: Barbara Lee (D) – won election
District #10: Ellen Tauscher (D) – won election
District #11: Jerry McNerney (D) – won election
District #12: Jackie Speier (D) – won election
District #13: Pete Stark (D) – won election
District #14: Anna Eshoo (D) – won election
District #15: Michael Honda (D) – won election
District #16: Zoe Lofgren (D) – won election
District #17: Sam Farr (D) – won election
District #18: Dennis Cardoza (D) – won election
District #19: George Radanovich (R) – won election
District #20: Jim Costa (D) – won election
District #21: Devin Nunes (R) – won election
District #22: Kevin McCarthy (R) – won election
District #23: Lois Capps (D) – won election
District #24: Elton Gallegly (R) – won election
District #25: Buck McKeon (R) – won election
District #26: David Dreier (R) – won election
District #27: Brad Sherman (D) – won election
District #28: Howard Berman (D) – won election
District #29: Adam Schiff (D) – won election
District #30: Henry Waxman (D) – won election
District #31: Xavier Becerra (D) – won election
District #32: Hilda Solis (D) – won election
District #33: Diane Watson (D) – won election
District #34: Lucille Roybal-Allard (D) – won election
District #35: Maxine Waters (D) – won election
District #37: Laura Richardson (D) – won election
District #38: Grace Napolitano (D) – won election
District #39: Linda Sanchez (D) – won election
District #40: Edward Royce (R) – won election
District #41: Jerry Lewis (R) – won election
District #42: Gary Miller (R) – won election
District #43: Joe Baca (D) – won election
District #44: Ken Calvert (R) – won election
District #45: Mary Bono Mack (R) – won election
District #46: Dana Rohrabacher (R) – won election
District #47: Loretta Sanchez (D) – won election
District #48: John Campbell (R) – won election
District #49: Darrell Issa (R) – won election
District #50: Brian Bilbray (R) – won election
District #51: Bob Filner (D) – won election
District #53: Susan Davis (D) – won election

Colorado

Senate: Mark Udall (D) – won election

District #1: Diana DeGette (D) – won election
District #3: John Salazar (D) – won election
District #4: Marilyn Musgrave (R) – Defeated
District #7: Edwin Perlmutter (D) – won election

Connecticut

District #1: John Larson (D) – won election
District #2: Joe Courtney (D) – won election
District #3: Rosa DeLauro (D) – won election
District #5: Chris Murphy (D) – won election

Delaware

Senate: Joe Biden (D) – won election

District of Columbia

District #AL: Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) – won election

Florida

District #4: Ander Crenshaw (R) – won election
District #9: Gus Bilirakis (R) – won election
District #17: Kendrick Meek (D) – won election
District #19: Benjamin Graber (I) – CHALLENGER — Defeated
District #21: Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R) – won election
District #22: Ron Klein (D) – won election
District #25: Mario Diaz-Balart (R) – won election

Georgia

District #1: Jack Kingston (R) – won election
District #5: John Lewis (D) – won election
District #8: James Marshall (D) – won election
District #12: John Barrow (D) – won election

Guam

District #AL: Madeleine Bordallo (D) – won election

Hawaii

District #1: Neil Abercrombie (D) – won election
District #2: Mazie Hirono (D) – won election

Illinois

Senate: Richard Durbin (D) – won election

District #1: Bobby Rush (D) – won election
District #2: Jesse Jackson (D) – won election
District #3: Daniel Lipinski (D) – won election
District #6: Peter Roskam (R) – won election
District #7: Danny Davis (D) – won election
District #8: Steve Greenberg (R) – CHALLENGER — Defeated
District #9: Janice Schakowsky (D) – won election
District #10: Mark Kirk (R) – won election
District #11: Debbie Halverson (D) – OPEN SEAT — – won election
District #12: Jerry Costello (D) – won election
District #13: Scott Harper (D) – CHALLENGER — Defeated
District #14: Bill Foster (D) – won election
District #16: Donald Manzullo (R) – won election
District #17: Phillip Hare (D) – won election

Indiana

District #1: Peter Visclosky (D) – won election
District #3: Mark Souder (R) – won election

Iowa

District #1: Bruce Braley (D) – won election

Kentucky

Senate: Mitch McConnell (R) – won election

District #3: John Yarmuth (D) – won election

Louisiana

District #3: Charlie Melancon (D) – won election

Maine

Senate: Susan Collins (R) – won election

District #1: Chellie Pingree (D) – OPEN SEAT – won election
District #2: Michael Michaud (D) – won election

Maryland

District #3: John Sarbanes (D) – won election
District #5: Steny Hoyer (D) – won election
District #8: Christopher Van Hollen (D) – won election

Massachusetts

Senate: John Kerry (D) – won election

District #1: John Olver (D) – won election
District #2: Richard Neal (D) – won election
District #3: James McGovern (D) – won election
District #4: Barney Frank (D) – won election
District #5: Niki Tsongas (D) – won election
District #6: John Tierney (D) – won election
District #7: Edward Markey (D) – won election
District #8: Michael Capuano (D) – won election
District #9: Stephen Lynch (D) – won election
District #10: William Delahunt (D) – won election

Michigan

Senate: Carl Levin (D) – won election

District #4: Dave Camp (R) – won election
District #5: Dale Kildee (D) – won election
District #7: Tim Walberg (R) – Defeated
District #8: Mike Rogers (R) – won election
District #9: Joe Knollenberg (R) – Defeated
District #10: Candice Miller (R) – won election
District #11: Thaddeus McCotter (R) – won election
District #12: Sander Levin (D) – won election
District #14: John Conyers (D) – won election

Minnesota

Senate: Norm Coleman (R) – Race too close to call

District #1: Timothy Walz (D) – won election
District #4: Betty McCollum (D) – won election
District #5: Keith Maurice Ellison (D) – won election
District #6: Michele Marie Bachmann (R) – won election
District #7: Collin Peterson (D) – won election

Mississippi

District #2: Bennie Thompson (D) – won election

Missouri

District #1: William Clay (D) – won election
District #5: Emanuel Cleaver (D) – won election

Nevada

District #1: Shelley Berkley (D) – won election
District #3: Jon Porter (R) – Defeated

New Hampshire

Senate: John Sununu (R) – Defeated

District #1: Jeb Bradley (R) – CHALLENGER – Defeated
District #2: Paul Hodes (D) – won election

New Jersey

Senate: Frank Lautenberg (D) – won election

District #1: Robert Andrews (D) – won election
District #2: Frank LoBiondo (R) – won election
District #4: Christopher Smith (R) – won election
District #5: Scott Garrett (R) – won election
District #6: Frank Pallone (D) – won election
District #9: Steven Rothman (D) – won election
District #10: Donald Payne (D) – won election
District #11: Rodney Frelinghuysen (R) – won election
District #12: Rush Holt (D) – won election
District #13: Albio Sires (D) – won election

New Mexico

Senate: Tom Udall (D) – OPEN SEAT – won election

New York

District #1: Tim Bishop (D) – won election
District #2: Steve Israel (D) – won election
District #3: Peter King (R) – won election
District #4: Carolyn McCarthy (D) – won election
District #5: Gary Ackerman (D) – won election
District #7: Joseph Crowley (D) – won election
District #8: Jerrold Nadler (D) – won election
District #9: Anthony Weiner (D) – won election
District #11: Yvette Clarke (D) – won election
District #12: Nydia Velazquez (D) – won election
District #14: Carolyn Maloney (D) – won election
District #15: Charles Rangel (D) – won election
District #16: Jose Serrano (D) – won election
District #17: Eliot Engel (D) – won election
District #18: Nita Lowey (D) – won election
District #19: John Hall (D) – won election
District #20: Kirsten Gillibrand (D) – won election
District #22: Maurice Hinchey (D) – won election
District #23: John McHugh (R) – won election
District #24: Michael Arcuri (D) – won election

North Carolina

Senate: Elizabeth Dole (R) – Defeated

District #1: G.K. Butterfield (D) – won election
District #12: Melvin Watt (D) – won election

Ohio

District #1: Steve Chabot (R) – Defeated
District #2: David Krikorian (I) – CHALLENGER – Defeated
District #10: Dennis Kucinich (D) – won election
District #13: Betty Sue Sutton (D) – won election
District #14: Steven LaTourette (R) – won election
District #17: Tim Ryan (D) – won election
District #18: Zachary Space (D) – won election

Oregon

Senate: Jeff Merkley (D) – CHALLENGER – Race too close to call

District #1: David Wu (D) – won election
District #3: Earl Blumenauer (D) – won election
District #4: Peter DeFazio (D) – won election

Pennsylvania

District #1: Robert Brady (D) – won election
District #2: Chaka Fattah (D) – won election
District #6: Jim Gerlach (R) – won election
District #13: Allyson Schwartz (D) – won election
District #14: Mike Doyle (D) – won election
District #15: Charles Dent (R) – won election
District #16: Joseph Pitts (R) – won election

Rhode Island

Senate: Jack Reed (D) – won election

District #1: Patrick Kennedy (D) – won election
District #2: James Langevin (D) – won election

South Carolina

District #2: Joe Wilson (R) – won election

South Dakota

Senate: Tim Johnson (D) – won election

District #AL: Stephanie Herseth (D) – won election

Tennessee

District #3: Zach Wamp (R) – won election

Texas

District #9: Al Green (D) – won election
District #10: Michael McCaul (R) – won election
District #18: Sheila Jackson Lee (D) – won election
District #20: Charlie Gonzalez (D) – won election
District #23: Ciro Rodriguez (D) – won election
District #24: Kenny Marchant (R) – won election
District #25: Lloyd Doggett (D) – won election
District #29: Gene Green (D) – won election

Utah

District #2: Jim Matheson (D) – won election

Virgin Islands

District #AL: Donna Christian-Christensen (D) – won election

Virginia

District #3: Robert Scott (D) – won election
District #7: Eric Cantor (R) – won election
District #8: James Moran (D) – won election
District #10: Frank Wolf (R) – won election
District #11: Gerald Connolly (D) – OPEN SEAT – won election

Washington

District #3: Brian Baird (D) – won election
District #5: Cathy McMorris (R) – won election
District #7: Jim McDermott (D) – won election
District #8: Dave Reichert (R) – won election

Wisconsin

District #1: Paul Ryan (R) – won election
District #2: Tammy Baldwin (D) – won election
District #3: Ron Kind (D) – won election
District #5: F. James Sensenbrenner (R) – won election
District #8: Steven Leslie Kagen (D) – won election