Candidate Notes on 01-AAC0

01-AAC0 on Jan 1, 2001

• Rep. Nick Joe Rahall II, West Virginia Democrat, Rahall has been a tireless champion of Arab American issues since arriving in D.C. in ‘76. He has long been a leader in the causes of Palestinian rights and efforts to lift or modify the US travel ban on Lebanon. On domestic issues, Rahall has been a watchdog for the civil liberties of Arab Americans and others, bringing public attention to threats on those rights in cases from the Gulf War behavior of the FBI to current anti-terrorism legislation. [Rahall is] the dean of the Arab American caucus in Congress.
• Rep. Pat Danner of Missouri, second-term Democratic member of Congress. After a decade of being a fiscal watchdog in the Missouri State Senate, Danner has used her experience to focus attention and devise strategies for cutting the budget deficit and waste in federal government. She was recognized by Citizens Against Government Waste in ‘94 for her efforts.

[Retired 2001]

Rep. John E. Baldacci of Maine: Of Lebanese and Italian ancestry, Baldacci is the cousin of retired US Senator George Mitchell. His family runs the well-known Bangor eatery, Momma Baldacci’s.

Rep. Ray LaHood of Illinois’ 18th District is the grandson of an immigrant from Lebanon and the son of a restaurant manager. He has provided leadership on US-Lebanon issues before the Congress while participating actively in the Arab American caucus.

Rep. Chris John: First elected to office at age 24, John defeated the incumbent three years later to gain the seat his late father held in the state’s House of Representatives. John and his brothers are owners-operators of John N. John Truckline, Inc., a family-run business since 1925.

The son of the former New Hampshire governor, Republican John E. Sununu has benefited from widespread name recognition in his state. He campaigned on a strongly conservative small government platform.