New Jersey businesswoman Derya Taşkın will be the first Turk representing the Democratic Party in the U.S. Electoral College, which will formally elect America's next president and vice president.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Taşkın said she has lived in the United States for about 25 years and has been actively working in various positions within the Democratic Party for a long time. The party board recognized her effort and selected her for the post, she said.

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's transition to the White House has officially started, three weeks after he was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election.

President Donald Trump still refuses to concede and has vowed to continue to fight in court after General Services Administrator Emily Murphy gave the green light Monday for Biden to coordinate with federal agencies ahead of his Jan. 20 inauguration. Trump did, however, tweet that he was directing his team to cooperate on the transition.

Taşkın noted that Turkish people both from Republican and Democratic parties have taken significant steps in U.S. politics. She added that she does not think that Turkish-U.S. relations will deteriorate during Biden’s presidency.

“The two countries have a strong alliance and are NATO members. Biden knows how important NATO is. Biden had some statements in January, but it may be the result of some lobbies and our passivity. With our efforts, I believe we will change the ideas of Biden and his team to bring Turkish-American relations to a better level,” she said.

In an interview in January, Biden said that if he was elected president, his administration would pursue a policy of intervention against Turkey's elected government.

"What I think we should be doing is taking a very different approach to (President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) now, making it clear that we support opposition leadership," said Biden.

He added, suggesting an ultimatum: "He (Erdoğan) has to pay a price. He has to pay a price for whether or not we're going to continue to sell certain weapons to him."

Biden’s statements were met with stark criticism from both ruling and opposition parties.

The Turkish American community witnessed the highest number of candidates running for public office in 2020 with 13 members of the community declaring their candidacy for federal, state, and local positions. California led in the most candidates with five followed by New Jersey with two. The following six states had one candidate each—Arizona, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

The scoreboard for the year was four wins and nine losses. Here are the winners:

Aycha Sirvanci Sawa was elected on April 7 as Milwaukee’s City Comptroller (nonpartisan position) in Wisconsin. She is the first Turkish American elected as a chief financial officer for a major American city and the second woman elected to a city office in Milwaukee.

Tayfun Selen (R), was reelected on November 3 as a Freeholder (County Commissioner) of the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders (County Commissioners) in New Jersey.

Ben Bartlett, spouse of Yelda Mesbah Bartlett, was reelected on November 3 as Council member (nonpartisan position) of the Berkeley City Council in California.

Leah Ersoylu, spouse of Sarp Ersoylu, was elected on November 3 as Trustee (nonpartisan position) of the Newport Mesa United School District in Orange County, California.

Our thanks and appreciation to the following candidates who were courageous to run for public office and gave a good fight but did not win their elections. We applaud their efforts and strongly encourage them to consider running for public office again.

Aylin Acikalin (D), candidate for Judge of New Orleans First City Court in Louisiana.

John Alpay, ran for Councilmember (nonpartisan position) of the San Jan Capistrano City Council in California.

Onur Arugaslan, ran for Trustee (nonpartisan position) of the Mattawan Consolidated Schools Board of Education in Michigan.

Alp Basaran (D), candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, New Jersey 9th congressional district.

Zarina Kiziloglu, spouse of Kursad Kiziloglu, ran for Councilmember (nonpartisan position) of the Pleasanton City Council in California.

Ajlan Kurdoglu (D), candidate for the Arizona State Senate in Legislative District 17.

Sezin Palmer, ran for Board Member (nonpartisan position) of the Howard County Public Schools Board of Education District 4 in Maryland.

Ceylan Rowe (D), candidate for the Massachusetts House of Representatives, 12th Worcester District.

Cenk Uygur (D), candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, California 25th congressional district. 

* Derya Taskin is  selected for  State of NJ electoral college delegate from Democratic Party.

Reference: Ten Thousand Turks Campaign

Erbil Gunasti, a Republican Party 2020 Presidential Council delegate and who works actively in American politics, is one of the rare Turkish-Americans who come together with President Trump at events from time to time. Gunasti, who presented a copy of his book GameChanger to President Trump, made a statement to the Turk of America about the upcoming  November 3rd Presidential elections.

There are less than two weeks until the election. Your thoughts? Does Trump have a chance to lose? What are your thoughts?
 
In my opinion, the result of the election had become assured after everything that happened during the first three years of Trump. On the other hand, when we look at what has happened since the coronavirus, I don't think that will change the result. It will increase it in Trump's favor.
 
Long story short, it is Trump to win the election in 2020 by a large margin. There are three reasons for this.
 
1) Trump will not increase taxes for the rich and companies. As is well-known, America "worships" money. In this sense, the wealthy Democrats in America are either not going to vote for Biden, or they are going to vote for Trump.
2) Trump showed the Blacks and Hispanics how beneficial he was in his first three years. They became wealthier to a great degree. When we consider that Trump received 10 percent from this section of the electorate in 2016, and it seems certain that his percentage of the votes from this section will increase this time around, Trump is guaranteed to be re-elected. As we know, a Republican Party presidential candidate may not be elected unless they get the votes of at least five percent of the Hispanic and Black people. If he does, the probability that he will be elected will be around 90 percent.
3) As is well-known, the people who own guns in the U.S. are an influential group. They do not always vote in great numbers. They let the chips fall where they may and have faith in their guns. However, for the first time, this group voted in significant numbers when Trump ran for President. That's why Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, known to be the Democratic Party's strongholds, voted for Trump in 2016 and will do so in 2020.
 
When you think about the damage the Democrats will do to the "Supreme Court," if they win, this shows that Trump will win this election by a large margin. I haven't changed my estimates in this respect. It has only become more robust.
 
As for the Coronavirus. Trump being admitted into the hospital and discharged after just a couple of days has also ensured that wealthy Democrats, in particular, they now see specific facts clearer on the matter of the cards played by the Democrats until now.

 
- What would be the course of the relations between Turkey and the U.S. if Trump won the election? What would happen if Biden won?
 
Even if Trump loses the election, the relations between Turkey and the U.S. are to be built upon "power."
 
If Trump wins, he will consider bilateral relations important. He will work together with influential leaders, such as President Erdoğan. That does not mean he will do what they say or that he will force them to do what he says. He will negotiate with reason and get results. Long story short, international competition and co-operation will gain momentum.
 
As I wrote in GameChanger, Turkey has taken the game from "Catch-22" to the "Chicken Game" and let the world know where it will play the "Zero-Sum Game." Everyone knows this now, whether they like it or not. Trump and Biden realize it as well. Trump is aware that he shouldn't play the "Zero-Sum Game" against Turkey. And that nor should Turkey cause trouble about this for Trump.
 
However, the situation is not the same on Biden's side. Biden will continue to underestimate Turkey, just like the EU is doing, and turn the world into a riskier place. Biden is pushed into this as the Democrats are the puppets of EU, Russia, China, and India, the external sources of power seeking to weaken the U.S. From this point of view, if Biden is elected President, it won't be good for the U.S. and not suitable for Turkey. However, it will be the U.S. that will lose out from this more.
 
But I don't expect such a possibility. I think Trump will win.