Thread: Cracks in a Republican Base

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Cracks in a Republican Base

Hard-Line Immigration Stance
Angers Some Business Groups
By SARAH LUECK
August 24, 2006; Page A4

Dennis Nixon, a bank executive from Laredo, Texas, has long supported Republican politicians. He is in frequent contact with his state's congressional delegation and has been a generous donor to the party, contributing thousands of dollars each year to help elect Republicans to Congress and ranking as one of President Bush's fund-raising "Rangers" in 2004.

But recently Mr. Nixon, chairman of International Bancshares Corp., has found himself at odds with Republicans on one issue: immigration. He opposes the enforcement-focused approach favored by most House Republicans and instead wants an immigration overhaul that "recognizes that illegal immigration is filling a gigantic need" in the labor market.

At a recent immigration hearing in Houston, Mr. Nixon was invited to testify by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat -- not the Republicans who organized the event. And he sparred with Republican Rep. Ted Poe, also of Texas, who suggested Mr. Nixon is more concerned with making money than securing the border.

"I feel like a man without a party," Mr. Nixon says. Last year, he gave $10,000 to the Republican National Committee, but now says he is "less engaged" in the congressional campaign. "My enthusiasm has basically waned. ... They're not supporting what I think is a well-reasoned, well-thought-out vision for America."

Mr. Poe says it "makes no difference to me" that Mr. Nixon is a Republican.

Ever since Republicans took over the House in 1994, they rarely have split with business, whether on taxes, regulation, labor or the environment. In turn, businesses have given Republicans steady support. Groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce consistently have awarded perfect or near-perfect scores to Republican lawmakers who vote the way they want on crucial issues -- rankings that usually translate into campaign contributions.

This year, the immigration debate is straining that bond. In an election with control of Congress at stake, the spat could cost Republicans support in key districts. Business groups' rankings have fallen for Republicans who support beefed-up border security but reject expanding legal immigration.

The Associated General Contractors of America and the National Roofing Contractors Association, among others, say they will cut or eliminate campaign contributions to some lawmakers taking hard-line immigration positions.

Immigration "has fundamentally altered our relationship with many offices," says Craig Silvertooth, federal affairs director for the roofing group. "We are pulling back financially with some offices that in previous cycles we would not have hesitated to give to." He said he has stopped meeting with some hard-line lawmakers but declined to name them.

The House and Senate have passed different immigration bills, and talks to iron out differences have stalled.

To be sure, most business interests continue to support Republicans. Few trade associations can afford to anger lawmakers who determine tax policy or dole out funding for lucrative projects.

That may explain why the debate doesn't seem to be moving in the business community's direction. "If the business community were voting on this, they'd be winning. But they're not convincing anybody they're voting on this," says Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who backs House Republicans' focus on enforcement, says: "If the business community believes they would be better off with Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, they should go help them."

Hard-line lawmakers are betting that a focus on enforcement -- stopping illegal immigration at the border and stepping up deportation -- will energize conservative voters. "The oath of office I took was not to hand-hold business," says Rep. J.D. Hayworth, an Arizona Republican who is locked in a tight race. "It was to protect the citizens. ... That is a responsibility I'm not going to abdicate." But that could backfire if many Republicans with business ties sit out the election.

In the long run, some Republicans worry the party is turning off an important part of the base by ignoring -- and in some cases targeting -- business owners. Earlier this year, Cyndi Smallwood, who owns a landscaping company in Riverside, Calif., met with Rep. Gary Miller (R., Calif.) and told him she has trouble finding workers, even with the high prevailing wages -- about $34 an hour for skilled workers and $14 for unskilled workers. Mr. Miller reacted with disbelief.

After Ms. Smallwood recounted the exchange in a Los Angeles Times article, Mr. Miller shot back with a mock "help wanted" notice in local newspapers naming Ms. Smallwood and giving her company's phone number and address. "Want to make up to $34/hour?" the ad asked, adding that Mr. Miller "doesn't buy" Ms. Smallwood's argument. "So he's helping her find legal U.S. resident workers, through ads like this, to prove amnesty for illegal aliens is not the answer."

Pundits and bloggers picked up on the discussion, which Mr. Miller continued on the John and Ken Show, a radio program. Ms. Smallwood said that for two months her phone and fax were clogged with people criticizing and threatening her. "I never knew American people could be so angry," says Ms. Smallwood, a Republican who had voted for Mr. Miller but won't do so this fall. A spokesman for Mr. Miller says he has no regrets about the incident.

Christmas-tree grower Arlene Frelk, of Merrillan, Wis., says she was unsuccessful recently when trying to meet in Washington with Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R., Wis.) to discuss immigration. Ms. Frelk, a Republican, did meet with a Sensenbrenner aide; she came to Washington as part of a "fly-in" organized by the American Agri-Women and wanted to tell the lawmaker that the House-passed immigration bill he sponsored would harm her business.

On the way home, she says she and her daughter saw the Judiciary Committee chairman at the airport baggage claim. When they approached him, Ms. Frelk says, Mr. Sensenbrenner told her that "this is his free time and he didn't want to be bothered" and walked away.

"We're very upset with him, of course," Ms. Frelk says. "I don't think he's reacting in the typical Republican way that works with constituents and listens to them and tries to keep business in Wisconsin."

Mr. Sensenbrenner says he doesn't respond to constituent complaints when he is out in public and holds more than 100 town-hall meetings a year to give voters a chance to address him. He says he isn't worried about upsetting business people with his stance on immigration. "The American public by an overwhelming margin supports the House approach over the Senate approach," he says.

Some business groups said they were unsuccessful in attempts to appear at the immigration field hearings organized by House Republicans this summer.

In Houston, Mr. Nixon appeared at a hearing last week that focused on crime near the Mexico border. He disagreed with law-enforcement officials who characterized Laredo as a dangerous place. Mr. Poe questioned him about this. "He took the approach that Laredo is Alice in Wonderland," Mr. Poe says.

Mr. Nixon says he is "disturbed" by Mr. Poe's "attack" on him.

Write to Sarah Lueck at sarah.lueck@wsj.com

American business owners have become dependent upon cheap labor. How in the world did this country survive all these years before illegal immigrants infiltrated? They have adjusted to the cheap labor market and now that they might loose it they are in a panic. It is encouraging to see some Republicans care more about the future of this country than their donations from big biz. Americans will do many of these jobs for a decent wage. And as I've said before I once cleaned hotel rooms and my husband cooked in a restaurant. Our young people now don't consider these jobs do they?
And Nixon is a banker. Big flag right there!

Big business can always give their money to the Democrats. They are all pro-illegal

What the republicans are finally figuring out, is that big business doesn't vote, but we do. All the donations in the world don't matter, if at the end of the race, you lose.

Sounds like some of the business supporters of illegal aliens are starting to get the message.

Someone living in Laredo go to this man's business site and protest...there is no gigantic need for illegals......with outsourcing and housing down, there is no reason for these cheap laborers to be here!

Jean and all, I agree completely. During high school and college, I did plenty of those "dirty" jobs that Americans "won't do" - I waitressed, was a maid for a time, etc. And, growing up, my parents had us kids tow the line at home - we had regular indoor and outdoor dutues. I think many American kids today have been rather spoiled. I know of families where the parents can't get the kids to help out at home.

As for business attitudes, not only do they want the endless supply of cheap labor, I also think that many businesses want the US population to continue to grow to keep the purchasing power high, including in the service industries - hotels, restaurants, etc.