Press Release

For Immediate Release, February 3, 2004
Contact: Gabriela Lemus, 202-833-6130

Phoenix, Arizona – The Arizona League of United Latin American Citizens hosted a sold out presidential candidates forum featuring Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and retired Gen. Wesley Clark in Phoenix yesterday. The forum which drew a standing room only crowd of more than 1,200 voters was co-sponsored by the Native American tribe Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and the Arizona Republic newspaper. 

The event made history because it brought together Native American and Hispanic communities to question the candidates on issues that are relevant to both constituencies for the first time.  “This forum was not merely a publicity event for presidential candidates,” said Arizona LULAC State Director Sam Esquivel. “It was a first time opportunity for Latino and Native American voters to ask substantive questions and to get responses to our top issues.” 

Today’s primaries marks the first time that two heavily Latino states, Arizona and New Mexico, have held their primaries so early in the year. The growing strength and strategic importance of the Latino vote in these states has made this day our nation’s first “Hispanic Tuesday.” 

Prior to the event, LULAC provided the 2004 LULAC Challenge to the candidates.  The LULAC Challenge is a series of questions that focus on issues of importance to the Hispanic community.  The purpose of the challenge and the forum was to educate the Hispanic and Native American communities about the positions of the candidates on the issues that matter most to them. 

“The fact that almost all of the candidates attended the event underscores the importance of the Latino vote in this election,” stated Hector M. Flores, LULAC National President. “It is vital that Hispanic voters translate our growing political strength into concrete actions on our priority issues. LULAC is determined to ensure that the road to the White House goes through our barrios.” 

A copy of the 2004 LULAC Challenge is available on our web site at www.lulac.org

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the United States.  LULAC advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health, and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide.

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