FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 8 NOV 2006 1900 hours

American Democrats Living in New Zealand Celebrate House Victory

ROTORUA--Democrats living in New Zealand are rejoicing over the spectacular performance of Democratic Party candidates in the United States mid-term elections, which will see their favoured party’s candidates regain control of the United States House of Representatives.

Democrats Abroad New Zealand’s interim country committee chairperson, Mark Chubb of Christchurch, says , “This election was clearly a mandate on the failed policies of President George W. Bush’s administration and those of the Republic Party in Congress: The American people, including those millions of Americans living abroad -- an estimated 15-20,000 of whom live here in New Zealand, now have a chance to reclaim their country and its direction, especially in foreign affairs and the global economy.”

Mr Chubb, a native of Ohio, which played a pivotal role in the 2004 presidential election that saw George W. Bush returned to the White House, noted the overwhelming defeat suffered by Republican incumbents like Senator Michael DeWine.

“Mike DeWine started his political career as the prosecuting attorney in my home county. He’s a fundamentally decent man who I know cares deeply for his country and works hard for his constituents. Nevertheless, they voted overwhelming for his opponent, the former Ohio Secretary of State Sherrod Brown. Without taking anything away from Sherrod Brown, I think that says more about what Ohioans think of George W. Bush and the Republican Party than it does about how well they like Mike DeWine.”

Reports of voting irregularities plagued the last two national elections in the United States, and Mr Chubb says he remains concerned that media are reporting similar difficulties at a number of polling places in this election. “Overseas Americans’ right to vote is particularly vulnerable to chicanery. We have to cast our ballots by mail, and many states require their citizens to cast provisional ballots that must be counted by hand.

“Nevertheless, I think the margin of victory in this election shows just how strong American’s commitment is to fairness and democratic process is. We’ve suffered through two appalling elections that yielded not only questionable results, but also a disastrous presidency. Despite these difficulties, we’re now taking the opportunity to put things right by placing the House, which controls all spending bills, in the hands of Democrats and under the leadership of the country first female Speaker, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California.”

Democrats are now looking forward to the 2008 presidential election, which presents the opportunity to elect another great leader of their party. Two of the leading candidates for the party’s nomination are first-term Illinois Senator Barack Obama and the just re-elected New York junior Senator Hillary Rodham-Clinton. Either of these promising candidates presents another opportunity to make history by electing the first African-American or woman to hold the nation’s highest elected office.

ABOUT DEMOCRATS ABROAD NEW ZEALAND: Democrats Abroad New Zealand promotes the political interests of all Americans living in New Zealand by helping them exercise their right to vote. An interim country committee was established in 2004 to organise those Americans affiliated with or supporting candidates of the Democratic Party. The committee is affiliated with Democrats Abroad, an official committee of the Democratic Party of the United States. As a country committee of Democrats Abroad, the New Zealand group does not engage in political organising, campaigning or fundraising activities for Democratic candidates, but it does encourage Americans living in New Zealand to engage in these activities themselves as an extension of their democratic rights as citizens. Democrats Abroad does not engage in or promote political activity within the New Zealand electoral system.

ENDS

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