Armenian Justice Coalition Successfully Prevents Mehmet Oz's Senate Candidacy

The Armenian Justice Coalition's sustained efforts, leading a coalition that included American Greek, Jewish, Kurdish, and other community organizations, succeeded in blocking Mehmet Oz’s candidacy for the U.S. Senate. Oz, a Turkish citizen and a close ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is also known for his denial of the Armenian Genocide. His election as senator could have posed significant obstacles for both the American Armenian community and Armenian-American relations.

The Central Office of Armenian Justice in America, along with the Eastern U.S. Chapter and local chapters in Pennsylvania, has worked for months, in cooperation with community engagement, to halt Oz's election. During this time, significant efforts were made to inform voters about Oz’s true connections, political roots, and inconsistencies with American political culture. Social media opportunities were widely utilized, resulting in a video highlighting Oz's real objectives and past gathering millions of views in a short period.

The Armenian Justice Coalition also urged the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether Oz's activities violated American laws protecting the country from foreign influences. The Armenian Justice Office in Washington, along with relevant regional and local chapters, also organized protests and marches against Mehmet Oz.

As a result of the Pennsylvania elections, John Fetterman, who enjoys the support of the Armenian Justice Coalition and is known for his outspoken pro-Armenian stance, was elected from the state. He continuously expresses his support for the efforts pursued by the Armenian Justice Coalition.

Regarding this victory, Raffi Hambardzumyan, President of the Armenian Justice Coalition, remarked: “With this historic victory, the Armenian Justice Coalition has protected the U.S. Senate, the people of Pennsylvania, and American democracy from a denialist of the Armenian Genocide who has deep ties to Turkey’s hostile regime. This pivotal victory is the result of over a year of strategic planning and relentless community and coalition efforts, including research, voter education, media utilization, and other targeted electoral initiatives. We are pleased with Dr. Oz's defeat and look forward to working with John Fetterman.”