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Three More Greek Americans Running for CongressOp Ed Three More Greek Americans Running for Congress By Gene Rossides April 1, 2008 In addition to the five sitting U.S. Representatives: Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Zack Space (D-OH) and Niki Tsongas (D-MA), I am very pleased to write about and support three more Greek American candidates for Congress – two in Ohio and one in Maine. The three are Jane Mitakides (D-OH), Dean Scontras (R-ME) and Jim Trakas (R-OH). Each has a real shot at winning. Each has positive views on issues of special concern to Greek Americans – Cyprus, the Aegean, the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Halki Theological School, FYROM, Albania and Visa Waiver. It is up to the community in general and to each of us individually to make sure they have adequate financial resources to run a proper campaign in the final seven months before election day on November 4, 2008. Let¢s look at each of these three individuals in alphabetical order. I will devote the rest of this Op-Ed to Jane Mitakides and will discuss Dean Scontras and Jim Trakas in my next Op-Eds. Jane Mitakides (D-Ohio) Jane Mitakides is running in the 3rd Congressional District in southwest Ohio. She won the unanimous endorsement of the local Democratic Party for this seat. Mark Owens, chairman of the Montgomery County Democratic Party stated Mitakides “has campaign experience. She can put together a campaign team and she is right on the issues.” Mitakides will be building on her strong performance as a first-time candidate in 2004, when she garnered 120, 000 votes and raised nearly $600,000. GreekPAC, the Greek American Political Action Committee, has endorsed her and made a contribution in support of her campaign. Significantly, Jane Mitakides was endorsed by the Dayton Daily News, the major newspaper in the District. The editorial cited her comments at the editorial board screening regarding the condition of the local economy and the incumbents¢ partisan voting record. The editorial commented on her “impressive” fundraising as a first-time candidate in 2004. The Cox-owned newspaper called her a “natural choice” and noted that she “makes the most sense for voters” and that the Democratic base is united behind her. Jane Mitakides is the modern American woman – married with a family and a successful local small business owner. She has been married 25 years to John Mitakides, a dentist who has practiced in the Dayton area for over 30 years. They both graduated from Centerville High School and attended Ohio public universities. (Jane at Wright State and John at Ohio State, where he played football). They are the proud parents of two children – Katie who is completing her PhD in international relations, and Andrew, a senior at Sydney College in Virginia. Lake Research Partners is a national polling company. Ms. Celinda Lake, its president, Daniel Gotoff, a partner and Mark Keida, a staff member, wrote an “Analysis of Ohio¢s 3rd Congressional District¢s Shifting Political Terrain” on January 15, 2008. In that analysis, Celinda Lake calls this a “highly winnable race” for Jane Mitakides and one that is getting national attention. She states that the “challenging electoral dynamics offer Mitakides a prime opportunity to seize on the public¢s mood for change…and that 2008 offers Democrats the best opportunity to put Ohio¢s 3rd district seat back into Democratic hands.” The Democrats had held this seat for 22 years until 2002. Jane Mitakides is an entrepreneur who understands the importance of bringing good jobs to her community and ensuring that those jobs stay there. She founded Ohio-based Helsley Advertising, specializing in strategic communications and investor relations, working with businesses nationwide. She was born in Dayton, Ohio and has served on a diverse variety of civic boards, including the Development Board of St. Elizabeth Hospital and Women in Leadership. On the national level she is a founding member of both the Women¢s Council of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Small Business Council of the Democratic National Committee. I am also pleased to note that she is an active member of the American Hellenic Institute. Mitakides entered the race in mid-January 2008. Her Mitakides for Congress campaign committee posted impressive numbers in its first four weeks of fundraising, banking $85,908.61 up to February 13, 2008. For the first quarter of 2008 her campaign raised a solid $150,000. “We were a little overwhelmed with the immediate response to the campaign,” Mitakides said. “It certainly isn¢t a cliché here to say that people are ready for change. The mood for change that hit Ohio in 2006 hasn¢t crested yet,” Mitakides explained. “The voters of this district want leaders who will put our country back on track – an economy that works for all Americans, health care that is affordable and accessible to every American, and an end to our dangerous dependence on Mideast oil. We need to start investing in America for a change. Financial support is just one piece of what we¢re seeing in this campaign. The energy here is electric.” It should also be noted that her opponent is currently the focus of serious ethics questions. Her positions on key Greek American issues are right on the mark. She calls for the removal of Turkey¢s 43,000 occupation troops and 160,000 illegal Turkish settlers in violation of the Geneva Convention of 1949 and removal of Turkey¢s barbed wire fence across Cyprus; recognition of the treaty based maritime boundary in the Aegean; supports H.R. 1456, the American Owned Property in Occupied Cyprus Claims Act of 2007; protection of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and reopening of Halki Theological School, as called for by U.S. law, and the return of 7000 confiscated church properties; enforcement by the President of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998; negotiations in good faith by the Skopje regime with Greece regarding the name issue; and immediate allowance of Greece to participate in the Visa Waiver Program. Make a Contribution Now! It is important for each of these three new candidates for Congress that the Greek American community contribute and contribute and contribute to their campaigns. Act as if your contribution can make the difference because it will! Each person can contribute up to $2,300 to each candidate for the House and Senate for the primary election and up to another $2,300 for the general election on November 4, 2008. I believe that a substantial percentage of Greek Americans can afford to give $2,300 to each of the new candidates. I am committing that amount. I also believe that a majority of Greek Americans can give $1,000 to each of these three candidates; that most can give $500 and practically everyone can give $250 or $100. A key part of being active politically is contributing to the candidate of your choice. Please join me in making sure that theses three new Greek American candidates for Congress have sufficient funds to run a winning campaign. It is in the interests of the community that they do so. For Jane Mitakides checks should be made to the order of Mitakides for Congress and mailed to P.O.Box 29-3039, Kettering, OH 45429. For on-line contributions go to www.Jane08.com and click on to contribute. For Dean Scontras checks should be made to the order of Dean Scontras for Congress and mailed to P.O.Box 15418, Portland, ME 04112. For on-line contributions go to www.teamdean08.com. For Jim Trakas checks should be made to the order of Trakas for Congress and mailed to 1500 West 3rd Street, Suite 120, Cleveland, OH 44113. For on-line contributions go to www.JimTrakas.org. Please act today. Your check can make the difference! Gene Rossides is President of the American Hellenic Institute and former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
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