Thread: Immigration Debate Reaches Heartland

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Immigration Debate
Reaches Heartland
Candidates Adopt Hard-Line Positions
As Illegal Workers Become a Campaign Issue
By DEBORAH SOLOMON
April 13, 2006; Page A4

Nebraska may seem an unlikely place for a debate about border security, but illegal immigration has become a key issue in the Senate race here. Republican candidates are addressing the subject in television spots and stump speeches, and criticizing Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson's plan to build fences along the U.S.-Mexico border as incremental and unworkable.

While the fight over illegal immigration roils Washington, the issue is spilling out into local, state and federal races across the country. But the response isn't monolithic. Even as a number of House Republicans are expected to face a backlash from Hispanic and other voters for their tough approach, some candidates are adopting hard-line positions in a bid to portray incumbents as weak on illegal immigration. For now, the issue is percolating largely in Republican primaries but is expected to affect campaigns across the board as the November midterm elections approach.

"It's coming up everywhere and at the very least, there won't be a debate where this is not a big question," said Jennifer Duffy, of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.

In past campaigns, immigration has been an issue in border states like Arizona and places with a high percentage of Hispanics. But political observers say recent mass demonstrations by immigrants, an influx of foreign-born workers into the heartland and the political divide in Washington have caused voters to focus more on it than in the past.

As a result, many candidates are taking a tough stance on the issue, in part because the public seems to support more aggressive measures. A recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found that 56% of respondents don't back the type of guest-worker program favored by President Bush, while a Pew Research Center poll found that 53% say illegal immigrants should be forced to "go home."

The desire for tougher treatment has become an issue in places like Utah, where Rep. Chris Cannon, a five-term Republican, is facing a fight for the nomination, in large part because of his position on immigration. Mr. Cannon, who represents a conservative district in a solidly Republican state, has taken heat for supporting a proposal that includes a guest-worker program. Like many politicians, Mr. Cannon is caught between needing to appease constituents, many of whom support tougher measures, and businesses that rely on immigrants for labor. That has created an opening for Republican challengers, including Merrill Cook, a former U.S. congressman, who has cited Mr. Cannon's position on immigration as the reason he entered the race.

"There's tension in the party between those individuals who want to protect the U.S. border and who want to preserve American culture and uphold the law versus the small-business and agriculture crowd that needs and likes the labor," said Kelly Patterson, director of the Center for the Study of Elections at Brigham Young University. In a conservative district like Mr. Cannon's, which includes Provo, "differences in the party become very important." Mr. Cannon's views on immigration also figured in the 2004 campaign when he was forced into a primary runoff against an anti-immigration candidate.

Fueling the issue are groups like Team America, a political-action committee founded by Rep. Tom Tancredo (R., Colo.), a proponent of deportation of illegal immigrants. The PAC is targeting incumbents, like Mr. Cannon, who don't support immigration measures deemed tough enough and throwing financial support to those who back stricter measures.

In places like Nebraska, however, the issue has bubbled up through a more conventional channel: voters. Like many states, Nebraska has seen an influx of immigrants who work in the agriculture and meat-packing industries. That has sparked concern among residents about the toll on public services like schools and hospitals.

Republican Senate contender Pete Ricketts, a former executive with Ameritrade, said immigration is the first issue he encountered in his campaign. "People are very concerned about immigration, and a lot of little towns in Nebraska are being impacted by it," Mr. Ricketts said. He has run a TV spot highlighting illegal immigration, while another Republican contender, David Kramer, has crafted a 12-step plan for dealing with the issue.

So far, the Nebraska Republican candidates have portrayed Mr. Nelson's approach as misguided. Mr. Nelson, a Democrat in a fairly Republican state, has introduced legislation to build fences along the U.S.-Mexico border but Messrs. Kramer and Ricketts say that isn't a solution. Instead, both are advocating steps like more border agents and tougher enforcement of laws.

Sergio Bendixen, a Democratic pollster, said immigration is going to be a big issue in some nontraditional states because of the "culture clash" that residents experience when confronted with Hispanic immigrants. The issue roiled the Virginia governor's campaign last year, with candidates sparring over a day-laborer center in northern Virginia. This year, immigration is expected to be a factor in the governor's race in Ohio.

It's already one in Colorado, where the two Republican gubernatorial contenders have sparred over immigration. In a debate earlier this month, Republican candidate Marc Holtzman criticized his opponent, Rep. Bob Beauprez, as being soft on immigration. Mr. Beauprez, who has recently won the support of Mr. Tancredo by backing tough immigration measures, had in the past voted against some measures favored by anti-immigration forces.

In some cases, candidates are making illegal immigration the central issue in their campaigns. Republican Randy Graf, one of more than a dozen people vying for the House seat being vacated by Arizona Republican Jim Kolbe, is campaigning on a "zero tolerance" approach. Mr. Graf, who challenged Mr. Kolbe in 2004, wants fences and walls built on the border and opposes the guest-worker program favored by Mr. Kolbe, who is retiring from Congress.

Nowhere is immigration expected to be as prominent as in Arizona, where Sen. Jon Kyl is up for re-election. Mr. Kyl proposed legislation, which was rejected, that would allow the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. to stay legally as long as they go home first and return as guest workers.

His approach differs from that of Arizona Sen. John McCain, who has advocated letting illegal immigrants stay and pursue permanent citizenship. Mr. Kyl's Democratic challenger has backed the McCain plan.

Write to Deborah Solomon at deborah.solomon@wsj.com

Woo-hoo!!! I knew our fellow Nebraskans were out there and are definately being affected by the influx of illegal immigrants. They're just busy working from dusk till dawn. Go Huskers!

In past campaigns, immigration has been an issue in border states like Arizona and places with a high percentage of Hispanics. But political observers say recent mass demonstrations by immigrants, an influx of foreign-born workers into the heartland and the political divide in Washington have caused voters to focus more on it than in the past.

Do you think it was the flags their attitude or both???

Katrina:


Protests:










Complete disrespect:

A recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found that 56% of respondents don't back the type of guest-worker program favored by President Bush, while a Pew Research Center poll found that 53% say illegal immigrants should be forced to "go home."