New York Times
By Bob Benenson and Greg
Giroux, CQ Staff
June 22, 2007
When asked to
name a place identified with Italian-Americans, most people would pick New York Citys Little Italy, Bostons
North End or South Philadelphia, home to the
fictional boxer Rocky Balboa. Maybe they'd
even pick Chicago or San Francisco.
But they probably
wouldn't say Wyoming. Yet when appointed
Republican John Barrasso is sworn in next week
to succeed the late Republican Craig Thomas, he will join Republican Michael B.
Enzi in Wyoming’s
delegation and give the state two Italian-American senators. How many states
previously have had two senators of Italian roots serving in the Senate at the
same time?
a. 0
b. 1
c. 3
d. 5
Answer:
a. Wyoming, according to
the National Italian American Foundation, will be the first state to be
represented simultaneously by two Italian-American senators.
A listing on the Web site of the Order Sons of
Italy in America shows that four current senators besides Enzi and Barrasso have family ties to Italy: Republicans
Pete
V. Domenici of New Mexico and John Ensign of Nevada and Democrats Mary L.
Landrieu of Louisiana and Patrick
J. Leahy of Vermont.
The site also
lists 23 Italian-Americans currently serving in the House, including Speaker Nancy
Pelosi (nee DAlesandro) of California, 13 other
Democrats and nine Republicans.