KEUROGHELIAN SPOILS THE ELECTION FOR NAHABEDIAN; UNWITTINGLY SETS THE STAGE FOR A REPUBLICAN VICTORY; OR FOR A THREE-WAY RACE
Appo Jabarian
Executive Publisher / Managing Editor
USA Armenian Life Magazine
April 18, 2010
On April 13, a special primary election for the California Assembly
43rd Assembly District was held pitting four candidates against
each other – the lone Republican candidate Sunder Ramani, and three
Democrats Mike Gatto, Nayiri Nahabedian, and Chahe Keuroghelian.
Gatto received 10,584 votes or 32.34%; Ramani received 10,403 votes
or 31.79%; Nahabedian received 7,298 votes or 22.30% and Keuroghelian
barely received over 13.58% or 4,444 votes.
As one can see, Keuroghelian’s 4,444 votes were the difference between
a Nahabedian victory and defeat. Had Mr. Keuroghelian stepped aside
the 4,444 votes could have well-placed Nahabedian ahead of Gatto with
a total 11,742 votes.
In 2006 Quintero’s supporters played the ethnic hatred card against
then lone Armenian American candidate Paul Krekorian slandered him and
a very popular Armenian-American community-based organization (ANC)
as "terrorists." The underhanded tactic backfired and Quintero lost
to Krekorian because of the fact that many of Quintero’s supporters
switched sides and voted in favor of his opponent.
In 2010 Gatto became the beneficiary of Keuroghelian’s back-stabbing
of his own community.
Thanks to Keuroghelian’s serving as a spoiler, Gatto defeated Nayiri
Nahabedian by little over 3,000 votes. Keuroghelian forced Nahabedian
to lead multi-frontal battle which caused her to waste her time,
energy and money resources.
While "Trojan Horse" Keuroghelian may bask under the sun of a Gatto
victory, his fellow Armenian Americans were left bleeding with an
unjust defeat.
Several days before the election, I had written an article in USA
Armenian Life and on several websites, titled "Perennial Candidate
Chahe Keuroghelian Clamors To Spoil The Election For Viable Candidate
Nayiri Nahabedian."
I had disclosed certain details about Mr. Keuroghelian’s record
that has been tarnished by two major factors adversely affecting his
rating as a viable candidate: 1) His treacherous silence on Quintero’s
supporters’ anti-Armenian hate mail; and 2) Keuroghelian’s criminal
record in a 2001 domestic violence case.
Like many well-informed individuals in the community, I had pointed
out that Keuroghelian’s obstinate candidacy may serve to pull defeat
from victory’s jaws for his fellow Armenian American candidate.
Armenian Americans now should look carefully at the candidacy of Mr.
Ramani and compare his platform to Mr. Gatto’s. Based on 1) the merit
of the candidates; 2) on their own disappointment with the local
Democratic party machine’s conniving tactic to "divide and conquer"
against their community; 3) on their deep disappointment and even
anger at the Obama administration for reneging on Pres. Obama’s and
his Secretary of State "Oil Lady" Hilary Clinton’s campaign promises
to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide, should consider casting
their votes in favor of the republican Ramani.
The numbers clearly show that Nahabedian’s support base holds the
political wild card and can be used to either:
1) Punish Gatto’s self-serving Democratic allies’ dirty politics,
by swinging their vote in favor of the Republican candidate Ramani;
and by continuing the same practice in every local and regional
election until these dark forces give up on their heinous acts of
dividing others in order to conquer them; or to
2) Lieberman-ize the 43rd District by re-introducing Nahabedian or
by introducing another well-known leader as an independent viable
candidate, therefore making the run-off election a three-way race. (In
2006, after losing Connecticut Democratic primary to challenger Ned
Lamont, Senator Joseph Lieberman ran as an independent, making the
Connecticut election for U.S. Senate a three-way race, and won!)
Let the local and state Democratic leaders wake up and reconsider
their antagonistic policy against their fellow Democrats of Armenian
American ancestry.
Let those who adopt the "divide and conquer" policy against others,
have a taste of their own "medicine." Never again, should the Armenian
community be fooled into wasting its precious votes to unwittingly
further the evil agenda of others.
As for the state of the community, serious and honest efforts must be
made to rebuild unity and establish common goals. The representatives
of various groups and community-based organizations should get together
and reconcile. They should find ways to co-operate for the common
interest rather than creating a wedge jeopardizing many anticipated
victories in the coming elections.
It is with a spirit of co-operation that we should set our sight on
the upcoming elections, namely the November ’10 mid-term elections;
next year’s Glendale city elections in April 2011, and every two years
thereafter; along with many other local, state, and federal elections.