Pro-Armenia deputies fill new US Congress

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Most of ANCA’s endorsed candidates have made their way into Congress. AP photo

The vast majority of congressional candidates backed by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) prevailed in the elections on Nov. 6, as U.S. voters re-elected Barack Obama president and maintained the Democratic majority in the Senate and the Republican majority in the House, the ANCA reported.

“We congratulate Democratic President Obama on his victory, commend Republican Governor [Mitt] Romney for a well-run campaign, and thank Armenian-American voters who went to the polls today in record numbers to support federal, state, and local candidates who support issues of special concern to our community,” the ANCA said.

“We were greatly gratified to see such a large percentage of our congressional endorsees win their races, including powerful advocates such as Senator Bob Menendez, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Representatives Adam Schiff, Ed Royce, Frank Pallone, and many others,” it said.

On the Senate side, 12 out of 15 ANCA-endorsed candidates emerged victorious, including senior Senate Foreign Relations Committee member – and lead co-sponsor of a resolution that would recognize Armenian genocide claims – Democrat Bob Menendez in New Jersey, Democrat Dianne Feinstein in California, Democrat Ben Cardin in Maryland and incoming Democratic Senator Chris Murphy in Connecticut.

On the House side, the ANCA endorsed 130 candidates, of which only 12 were reported to have lost their re-election bids.