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Arab Americans Win Gubernatorial, Senate, Congressional Seats

Posted on Thursday November 7, 2002

WASHINGTON D.C.— An Arab American Governor, Senator and four members of Congress will take office following successful local, state, and federal campaigns in the 2002 mid-term election cycle. Talked about as one of the most important mid-term elections in U.S. history, this election was a critical landmark for Arab American political participation as well.

40 Arab Americans ran for office, with 70 percent of them winning (see complete list). Community members across the country participated in the elections by volunteering in campaigns, civic education activities, and voter mobilization activities. Arab Americans launched their largest mid-term get out the vote (GOTV) effort resulting in approximately 250,000 incidents of direct Arab American voter contact.

Arab American and U.S. Representative John Baldacci (D-2) won the gubernatorial race in Maine by 48 percent. In a race that garnered national attention, two community members competed with each other in a first of its kind New Hampshire Senate Race. John Sununu®, won with 51 percent in a tight race over his opponent Governor Jeanne Shaheen (D), who is married to Democratic activist and Arab American, Judge Bill Shaheen.

Four Arab American incumbents all won reelection to the House. West Virginia’s Nick J. Rahall II (D-3), who is also Dean of the Arab American congressional delegation won with 78 percent of the vote. Illinois’s Ray LaHood (R-18) ran unopposed. Louisiana’s Chris John (D-7) won with 87 percent, and California’s Darrell Issa (R-49) won with 78 percent.

Lexington Kentucky became the largest city with an Arab American Mayor, when Teresa Isaac won her mayoral race with 51 percent. Republican State Elections Commissioner Suzanne Haik Terrell® will face Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., in a runoff Dec. 7. Terrell was Landrieu’s closest challenger, garnering 27 percent of the votes for the Louisiana State Senate in the general election.

In Connecticut, all six Arab American candidates who ran for reelection won.

“It was a very successful overall outcome from our community’s perspective. With high stakes, Arab Americans were ready to step up to the plate and work. The results showed the impact of those efforts,” said Arab American Institute President James Zogby.

States with targeted Arab American GOTV efforts included: Michigan, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Illinois, California, New Jersey, Florida, Ohio and Texas. Arab American populations number in the hundreds of thousands in many states with key races in the 2002 elections. According to a 2000 Zogby International poll, 88.5 percent of Arab Americans are registered to vote (more voter facts).

The national Arab American registered voter database shows that Arab American voters are well represented in 55 congressional districts across the United States, making up between 1.5 percent and 4.5 percent of the total voting population.

“This year our GOTV efforts made direct contact with 250,000 Arab American voters, the Arab American Leadership Council PAC (ALCPAC) raised and gave $150,000 and Arab American supported candidates won critical races across the U.S.,” Zogby said.

Founded in 1985, the Arab American Institute (AAI) is a nonprofit organization committed to the civic and political empowerment of Americans of Arab descent. AAI provides policy, research and public affairs services to support a broad range of community activities.