NRI, S. Fernandez Republican
NJ state party leader for US congressional elections this
November
Washington, June 2, 2004
IANS
An Indian American is all set to oppose Democratic pro-India
lawmaker Frank Pallone in the US congressional elections
this November.
Republican state party leader Sylvester Fernandez will
fight Democratic leader Pallone, who has represented New
Jersey for the past eight terms covering about 16 years
in the US Congress.
Born in Quilon in Kerala, Fernandez, 55, will contest as
a Republican candidate from the 6th US Congressional District
in New Jersey.
According to emalayalee.com, a US-based website that caters
to Kerala expatriates, Republican chairman Bill Dowd officially
conferred the unanimous nomination on Fernandez to represent
the Republican Party in the November elections.
Fernandez has no opposition in the primary to be held in
June 2004. The 6th Congressional District has one of the
largest South Asian populations in the country.
Fernandez remarked: "I guess people think it is a
foregone conclusion that the outcome of this race is already
decided before November 2004.
"I know I am an underdog and heavily outweighed by
an overwhelmingly registered Democratic district. The odds
against me are huge. Does that mean David cannot challenge
Goliath?"
Fernandez was educated in Mumbai through to his graduate
degree in mathematics and economics from Bombay University
in 1970. He went to work in Muscat, Oman, for two years
and thereafter in Saudi Arabia for nine years from 1975
till 1984. He came to the US in 1984 to pursue his masters'
degree in operations management at New School University
(New York City), Milan Graduate Division, from where he
graduated in 1987.
He has worked with Pan American Airways, AT&T, Bell
Labs and Lucent Technologies. He is married and has two
children.
Fernandez was appointed a commissioner of the Prosperity
New Jersey Commission for five years. He ran unsuccessfully
as a Republican candidate for the 18th Legislative District
of New Jersey in 2001.
Pallone on the other hand is known as a friend of India.
He has been awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest
civilian honours. He is also the founder member of the Congressional
Caucus on India and Indian Americans.