MAPA Announces Primary Election Endorsement Results
Saturday, January 19, 2008
For Immediate Release
Contact: Nativo V. Lopez
NativoLopez@ mapa-ca.org or 323.236.7990
Mexican American Political Association Announces
Primary Election Endorsement Results
Los Angeles, CA. The Mexican American Political Association (MAPA) has just finished tabulating the voting results for its primary election endorsements. A similar process will take place later this year for the general election. It might be noted that MAPA, unlike other organizations, can, according to its bylaws, endorse multiple candidates of the various political parties in both the primary and general elections.

Candidates:
Democratic Party endorsement for primary presidential candidate: Dennis Kucinich
"We concurred that Dennis Kucinich is the most consistent candidate with the principles of MAPA and the interests of the Latino voters, workers, families, and youth, and of all American voters.
"He has consistently called for and demanded an end to the war against the sovereign people of Iraq and an immediate return of U.S. troops to their families;
"He has consistently fought for and advocated in favor of a single-payer not-for-profit healthcare system, which accords with the material and spiritual interests of all Americans, irrespective of any medical pre- conditions, age, immigration status, or income. He has clearly articulated that the U.S. healthcare system does not need the insurance companies as middlemen or moneymen as go between the medical professionals and the patients.
"This is the candidate who does not accept corporate contributions and steadfastly support public financing of elections as a way to rid the system of special money interests who buy and sell our politicians.
"Kucinich, the son of immigrants, has most consistently articulated a fair and humane option for immigration reform that accords with the interests of all American workers who have the right to protect their jobs, and also immigrants who are contributing to the wealth of America and therefore deserve to obtain legal status in a fair and judicious way. He has opposed the construction of border walls, unlike the other top tier candidates who voted in favor of constructing the wall along the Mexico and U.S. border.
"He has most astutely opposed the type of 'free trade' policies pursued by this and former administrations as detrimental to the U.S. economy and workers, and which result in the export of millions of jobs, and also result in undermining the economies of our neighbors, which in turn are forced to expel their workers as new migrants to the U.S. He has called for the repeal of NAFTA and has advocated for the prospect of fair trade.
"It is for these reasons that MAPA formally endorses citizen Congressman Dennis Kucinich for the Democratic Party presidential candidate."

GREEN PARTY endorsement for primary presidential candidate: Cynthia McKinney
"MAPA endorses Cynthia McKinney for the Green Party presidential candidate.
"MAPA reviewed the voting and political record of Cynthia McKinney and found her to be most consistent with the principles of MAPA, particularly as that relates to the urgent need for favorable and progressive immigration reform, and for the need to unite Latino and African American workers and communities. "
REPUBLICAN PARTY endorsement for primary presidential candidate: None
"MAPA decided to NOT endorse any of the primary party Republican candidates due to their anti- immigrant assaults and slants in platform and posture, which will only continue to paint the immigrant as the Willie Horton of the 2008 elections."
PEACE AND FREEDOM endorsement for primary presidential candidate" Cynthia McKinney
"MAPA endorses Cynthia McKinney for the Peace and Freedom presidential candidate."
No other endorsements were extended to the Libertarian or American Independent candidates.
The Mexican American Political Association, an advocacy organization, was founded in Fresno , California in 1963 and has chapters throughout California . It is dedicated to the constitutional and democratic principles of political freedom and representation for the Mexican, Mexican-American and Latino people in the United States . For more information, visit the MAPA website atwww.MAPA.org