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Florida Armenians Endorsed Candidates Overwhelmingly Win on Election Night
By Taniel Koushakjian
FLArmenians Managing Editor
Florida Armenians is pleased to announce that 38 out of 39 candidates endorsed by Florida Armenians have won election to various offices across the State of Florida. The 97% success rate of Florida Armenians endorsed candidates illustrates the power and effectiveness of the Armenian American community in Florida at the federal, state, and local level.
[Click here for a complete list of Florida Armenians 2014 Election Endorsements.]
All thirteen Florida Armenians endorsed candidates for United States Congress were elected, including Republican challenger Carlos Curbelo who defeated Democratic incumbent Joe Garcia in FL-26, which covers southwest Miami-Dade County and all of Monroe County.
In the state legislature, all four Florida Armenians endorsed senate candidates won election. In the state house, fifteen out of sixteen Florida Armenians endorsed candidates won election, including HD-67 Republican Chris Latvala who easily defeated Democrat Christopher Shepard in the open-seat contest. Christ Latvala is the son of State Senator Jack Latvala (R-Pinellas), who introduced and managed the successful passage of the first Armenian Genocide resolution in the Florida State Senate in 2013. The only loss of all Florida Armenians endorsed candidates in the 2014 election cycle occurred next door to Chris Latvala, in HD-68, where Bill Young lost his challenge to Democratic incumbent Dwight Dudley (D-Pinellas). Bill Young is the son of the late C.W. Bill Young III (R-FL), who represented Florida in the United State Congress from 1971-2013.
At the state executive level, all three Florida Armenians endorsed candidates coasted to victory. Although Florida Armenians withheld our endorsement in the hotly-contested Florida Governor race, we would like to congratulate Governor Rick Scott on his reelection victory. We look forward to working with him and his administration as we approach the Armenian Genocide centennial in April 24, 2015.
Florida Armenians also endorsed Garo Artinian, the sole Armenian American on the ballot in Florida. He won an uncontested race and is now the North Palm Beach County Improvement District Seat 2 Board Member-elect.
Florida Armenians would like to congratulate all of our endorsees across the Sunshine State on their election victory.
Florida Armenians 2014 Election Center
By Taniel Koushakjian
FLArmenians Managing Editor
Florida Armenians is pleased to announce our endorsements for the 2014 elections. The endorsement list below is categorized by federal, state, and county races. Overall, Florida Armenians has endorsed 25 Republicans and 13 Democrats in a variety of races, including some challengers.
Champions of Armenian issues in Florida include Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), who was recently named Vice Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues. In the Florida State Senate, Florida Armenians enthusiastically support Senator Jack Latvala (R-Pinellas), who introduced and managed the successful passage of the first Armenian Genocide resolution in the Florida State Senate in 2013.
Noticeably absent from our endorsement list is a candidate for Florida Governor. Unfortunately, neither current Governor Rick Scott (R-FL) nor former Governor Charlie Crist (D-FL) was proactive on Armenian issues during their administration. In addition, both candidates refrained from issuing statements to the Florida Armenian community.
Also, Florida Armenians would like to highlight Garo Artinian, who is running for Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District Seat 2. Mr. Artinian is the only Armenian American on the ballot in Florida.
FLORIDA VOTER INFORMATION
To help give you an idea of what to expect on Election Day, here are links to sample ballots for Broward County, Miami-Dade County, Palm Beach County, and Pinellas County. Polls are open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Florida has two time zones. As such, election results will be released at 8:00 PM EST. If you don’t know where to go, you can find your closest polling station online by entering your address at your local county government website. For more information about voting in Florida, click here.
FLORIDA ARMENIANS 2014 ELECTION ENDORSEMENTS
FEDERAL
Congress:
- District 1: Jeff Miller (R-FL)
- District 3: Ted Yoho (R-FL)
- District 5: Corrine Brown (D-FL)
- District 11: Rich Nugent (R-FL)
- District 12: Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)
- District 13: David Jolly (R-FL)
- District 14: Kathy Castor (D-FL)
- District 15: Dennis Ross (R-FL)
- District 21: Ted Deutch (D-FL)
- District 22: Lois Frankel (D-FL)
- District 24: Frederica Wilson (D-FL)
- District 25: Mario Diaz-Bolart (R-FL)
- District 26: Carlos Curbelo (R-FL)*
STATE
Executive:
- Attorney General: Pam Bondi (R)
- Chief Financial Officer: Jeff Atwater (R)
- Commissioner of Agriculture: Adam Putnam (R)
State House:
- HD-64: James Grant (R-FL)
- HD-66: Chris Latvala (R-FL)*
- HD-68: Bill Young (R-FL)*
- HD-69: Kathleen Peters (D-FL)
- HD-70: Daryl Rouson (D-FL)
- HD-81: Kevin Rader (D-FL)
- HD-82: MaryLynn Magar (R-FL)
- HD-88: Bobby Powell (D-FL)
- HD-91: Irving Slosberg (D-FL)
- HD-92: Gwendolen Clarke-Reed (D-FL)
- HD-93: George Moraitis (R-FL)
- HD-95: Hazelle Rogers (D-FL)
- HD-96: Kristin Jacobs (D-FL)
- HD-103: Manny Diaz, Jr. (R-FL)
- HD-105: CarlosTrujillo (R-FL)
- HD-116: Jose Felix Diaz (R-FL)
State Senate:
- SD-20: Jack Latvala (R-FL)
- SD-22: Jeff Brandes (R-FL)
- SD-32: Joe Negron (R-FL)
- SD-36: Oscar Braynon II (D-FL)
Other:
- Palm Beach County Commission District 4: Steven L. Abrams
- Broward County Commission District 4: Chip LaMarca
- Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District 2: Garo Artinian
* Denotes challenger
Florida Armenians 