It’s an election year, but I’m afraid our endorsement isn’t going to please the Democrats, and it’s not going to endear us to Republicans, either. Heck, it’s probably going to annoy the libertarians, independents and every other party in the U.S. of A., too.

That’s because we proudly endorse Ron Turano for senate.

Actually, our endorsement should more likely read “Renato for Senato,” since he’s running for the Italian Senate.

I know what you’re thinking.

The first time I heard it, I thought, “Who’s zooming who?” so I gave a call to candidate Turano to see if he were pulling our chain, and he assured me he wasn’t. Not being the brightest bulb in the socket, I asked him to explain.

If elected, Turano will represent about 360,000 Italian citizens or dual citizens who live in North and Central America, which is the largest geographic district in the Italian parliament.

“Basically, I would represent every Italian citizen living from as far south as Panama and Costa Rica and the Caribbean, to as far north as the upper reaches of Alaska and Canada,” Turano explains.

In addition to electing a senator, Italian citizens who reside in this region will elect two representatives.

Many of the potential voters are just like the Turano family, which immigrated to the United States in the 1950s because post-World War II devastation left Italy, and especially Turano’s war-torn homeland of Calabria, in an economic mess.

Turano estimates that some 64 million people departed Italy from 1900 to 1960 for such economic reasons as pursuing the American dream. Recognizing that so many of its citizens left its country over the years, the Italian government created electoral districts to provide representation for its Italian citizens now living abroad.  

Born in 1942, Turano got into the baking business when his family bought a small bakery in the Chicago area in 1962. Initially, the bakery delivered bread to homes in the western suburbs, but it gradually moved into the wholesale baking business. Today, Turano and his brothers, Giancarlo and Umberto, head up Campagna-Turano Baking Co.

For more than 35 years, candidate Turano has been involved with various Italian organizations, such as the Italian American Chamber of Commerce Midwest division, to encourage economic, educational and cultural exchanges between Midwestern groups, local businesses and the Italian government.

In addition to making sure that Italian citizens living abroad have a voice in the Italian government, Turano would increase funding to Italian consulates, streamline government operations, increase funding to Italian programs in elementary and high-schools, promote student and cultural exchanges, and facilitate trade and economic relations between Italy and the continent.

Or, as Turano explains, “My campaign is all about money, money, money, and increasing the representation of Italians living over here.”

Personally, I know Turano as a compassionate man who has a deep fondness for his homeland and almost everything good about Italy, including its food. Married for 40 years, he has three children and nine grandchildren, and routinely bakes homemade pizza on Thursday nights for his family and friends as a part of his own tradition.

For the baking industry, Turano would provide tremendous representation as well. This spring, he becomes chairman of the American Bakers Association.

Think about it.

Making those often-needed visits on Capitol Hill would become so much easier.

Voting starts on March 22 when local consulates send out ballots, which must be returned by April 3. The ballots will be counted on April 9. Visit www.renatoturano.com for more information.

Good luck, Ron, from the snack and baking industry. And for everyone who can vote, do it the Chicago way: Vote early and vote often. SF&WB