August 1, 2018
Statement Posted By Tracy Mitrano:
PENN YANN — Matthew C. “Matt” Zeller, an author, veteran, former Congressional candidate and political consultant, has endorsed fellow Rochester native Tracy Mitrano in her bid for New York’s 23rd Congressional seat. Zeller ran for Congress in 2010, losing to Republican Tom Reed.
“I love your passion and enthusiasm; I love your message,” Zeller told Mitrano. “You have my proud endorsement—go beat him.”
“It means a lot to have Matt’s endorsement,” said Mitrano. “His record of service to this country speaks for itself, and I admire his passion for common-sense national security policy and for honoring those who assisted our military in war zones, often at great risk to themselves and their families.”
An Army veteran of the war in Afghanistan, Zeller successfully sought a U.S. visa for the interpreter he worked with in Ghazni, whom he credits with saving his life. He is founder and CEO of No One Left Behind, which pushes for Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) for Afghan and Iraqi interpreters and provides financial and career assistance to SIV holders who move to the U.S.
Zeller is featured in a July 25 article in The Atlantic about the sharp drop in SIV arrivals since the Trump administration ordered American embassies to subject applications to more intense scrutiny. Zeller is quoted as saying, “Republicans talk about merit-based immigration … how much more merit do you need than saving American lives?”
Zeller regularly appears on MSNBC, Fox News, Al Jazeera and HuffPost Live as a national security expert and political consultant. His writings have appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, Roll Call and the Huffington Post.
Mr. Zeller is the latest public figure to declare support for Mitrano’s campaign. The list includes Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), the mayors and elected representatives of cities and towns across the 23rd district, and two former New York lieutenant governors.
Tracy Mitrano is a lifelong resident of Western New York and the state’s Southern Tier. The first member of her family to go to college, she is a graduate of the University of Rochester, Binghamton University and Cornell Law School. Mitrano is a registered Democrat and Yates County voter in Penn Yan. She is the proud mother of two adult sons.
