WASHINGTON, 10 November 2004 — Despite the fact that a new poll indicates that one-in-four Americans believe a number of anti-Muslim stereotypes and negative images of Muslims are 16 times more prevalent than positive ones, Arab-American candidates managed to win in 14 states on Nov. 2.
Arab-American congressmen Darrell Issa, R-California, Ray LaHood, R-Illinois, and Nick Rahall, D-West Virginia, were all re-elected with significant majorities and former director of the Office of Management and Budget Mitch Daniels was elected governor of Indiana.
The Arab American Institute yesterday released a synopsis of the national election and found that 87 percent of the candidates supported by the Arab American Leadership Council PAC (ALCPAC) were successful. These included Congressman John Conyers, D-Michigan, Cong. John Dingell, D-Michigan, Cong. Henry Hyde, R-Illinois, Cong. Jim Moran, D-Virginia, Dana Rohrabacher, R-California and Senator-elect Barack Obama, D-Illinois.
AAI views ‘Election 2004’ as an “unqualified success” for incumbents in state legislatures with all Arab-Americans holding their seats. State Sen. David Cappiello, R-Connecticut, State Rep. William Hamzy, R-Connecticut, State Rep. David Farhat, R-Michigan, State Rep. Barbara Farrah, D-Michigan, State Rep. Ben Baroody, D-New Hampshire, State Rep. Camille George, D-Pennsylvania, State Sen. Hanna Gallo, D-Rhode Island, State Sen. Daniel Issa, D-Rhode Island, State Sen. Vincent A. Sheheen, D-South Carolina, and State Rep. Jimmy Naifeh, D-Tennessee, were elected back to office.
Newly elected State Rep. Mark Strama, D-Texas joined this group. AAI says Strama has a long history of public service including founding the first company to register voters online and serving as director of programs at “Rock The Vote,” where he helped register more than one million new voters.
The government’s judicial branch will continue to be served by Arab-American judges David Allen, Michigan, Alvin Khoury, Texas and Dianne Yamin, Connecticut. Yamin is the first woman and youngest judge to be elected in her state.
There were several Arab-American newcomers to the political scene who made headlines but did not obtain the votes to elect them. Congressional candidates George Ajjan-R, in New Jersey, Justin Nadeau-D, in New Hampshire, and Barbara Ferris, Independent, in Ohio lost their bids. Saudi-born California State Assembly candidate Ferial Masry’s bid also failed but received national and international press coverage, including being chosen as ABC News’ “Person of the Week.” Masry, who would have been the first Saudi-born American to hold an elected position, won the Democratic nomination after receiving an impressive 3,000 primary write-in votes.
AAI notes that Susie Fortier’s attempt to join her father, State Rep. Ben Baroody in the New Hampshire legislature fell short by just 84 votes. Former State Rep. John Barr, an independent, was also unsuccessful in his attempt to regain his seat in the Rhode Island legislature.
And let us not forget perennial Independent presidential candidate and 2000 election spoiler Ralph Nader who won ballot access in 34 states, and one percent of the vote nationwide.
