1990: A LOOK BACK: The political realm (12/30/90)

1990: A LOOK BACK

The political realm

Ukrainian Americans were in both the winners' and losers' columns in political races during 1990.

D. Roman Kulchitsky, a Republican, won a seat in the Michigan State House on January 16, winning with 53 percent of the vote. It was his second attempt at the 25th District seat.

Since Mr. Kulchitsky was elected in a special election held to fill a seat vacated due to the resignation of the officeholder, he had to face another election in November. In that run for a full term, Mr. Kulchitsky was not successful, however. He lost the election by a mere 700 votes out of a total of 28,700 cast.

Another unsuccessful candidate in November was Walter M. Dudycz, also a Republican, who ran for Congress in the 11th District of Illinois. Mr. Dudycz was defeated by the incumbent, Rep. Frank Annunzio, who received 54 percent of the vote.

Political pundits immediately predicted that Mr. Dudycz, an Illinois state senator, would run for Congress again in 1992, when Rep. Annunzio is expected to retire, and that, having gained voter recognition in 1990, he would be elected.

Another Illinois Ukrainian American, State Rep. Myron J. Kulas, was re-elected on November 6 to the State Legislature by an overwhelming 83 percent of the vote. Mr. Kulas has been serving in the Illinois House for the past 12 years.

In New Mexico's Los Alamos County, Dr. Anna Chopek was elected a probate judge. Dr. Chopek is the second woman of Ukrainian ancestry to be admitted to the bar in the United States and is a former assistant attorney general for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Dr. Chopek had retired in New Mexico 13 years ago.

The highest ranking U.S. representative of Ukrainian descent, as he himself likes to point out, is Rep. David E. Bonior (D-Mich.). In a recent news release, Rep. Bonior announced that, after being elected to serve his eighth term in the House of Representatives, he was appointed chief deputy majority whip for the 102nd Congress, the fourth ranking position in the Democratic leadership of the House.

"As a Ukrainian American, I am encouraged by the progress made so far" in terms of religious freedom and democracy in Ukraine, "yet (I am) deeply concerned about the ongoing struggles." He added, "As a member of the leadership, I will do all I can to further the cause of freedom."

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