Rep. Gus Bilirakis, a Florida Republican and one of the most prominent Greek American voices in Congress, said after winning an 11th term that he will use the final months of the current Congress to push for a permanent end to U.S. restrictions on arms sales to Cyprus.
Mr. Bilirakis defeated Democrat Kimberly Overman 52.8% to 45.9% in this week’s midterm elections, according to results reported by the Greek news site iefimerida. He won despite changes to his district's boundaries.
He was first elected to the House in 2006.
"I am deeply grateful and humbled to have earned the trust of my constituents to continue serving as their voice in Washington," he told iefimerida.
His top foreign policy goal is to remove a long-running irritant in U.S. relations with Cyprus. Washington banned arms sales to the divided island in 1987 to discourage an arms race between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. It has since eased the ban through waivers that must be renewed every year.
Mr. Bilirakis is backing a bill that would end the embargo permanently, as well as the Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act, which aims to expand U.S. engagement in the region.
"As a proud Greek American, strengthening the relationship between the United States and Greece remains a deeply personal and lasting priority," he said, calling Greece "a vital NATO ally and strategic partner."
He said he would build on earlier laws that deepened U.S. defense and energy ties with Greece, Cyprus and Israel.
Those countries have grown closer as tensions with Turkey have persisted.
Mr. Bilirakis was one of three Greek American Republicans from Florida to win on Tuesday, along with Reps. Mike Haridopolos and Jimmy Patronis.
By Athanasia Angelopoulou