Thread: Gilchrist joining race to replace Cox

http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2005/08/1 ... 641281.php


The founder of the Minuteman Project will run for the O.C. congressional seat on the American Independent Party ticket.

By DENA BUNIS
The Orange County Register

Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project, will tell anti-illegal immigration activists later today that he plans to run for former Rep. Christopther Cox's 48th Congressional District seat on the American Independent Party line.

Gilchrist of Aliso Viejo is a political novice, and it was expected that he is entering the race as another way to highlight the illegal-immigration issue and attempt to force lawmakers to find a solution to what he and his supporters say is a security crisis at the nation's borders.

Gilchrist is expected to be joining a group of lawmakers - including one of his opponents in the congressional race, state Sen. John Campbell - in Ontario this afternoon for an event involving the proposed California Border Police initiative.

Monday is the deadline for candidates to officially file to run in the congressional race. The primary election is Oct. 4. If no candidate gets a majority of the votes a runoff will be held Dec. 6.

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http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2005/08/2 ... 642794.php

A new focus on immigration
Minuteman Project founder will push issue as he runs for Cox's seat.

By DENA BUNIS
The Orange County Register

WASHINGTON – The entrance of Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist into the race to replace Christopher Cox in Congress could at most turn this special election into a referendum on federal immigration policy and at least turn up the heat on an already politically volatile issue.

"I'm here today because, like you, I have grown weary of the decades-long refusal of the federal government to enforce immigration laws," Gilchrist said Friday on KFI/640 radio's "John and Ken Show," broadcast live from a hotel near the Ontario airport.

"It is far better to have men and women in public office who don't have to be pressured to do the right thing. That's why today I am formally announcing my candidacy for Congress in California's 48th District.''

Gilchrist, who is running as an American Independent Party candidate, and Republican state Sen. John Campbell, the candidate party leaders and political experts say is the favorite in that race, joined other anti-immigration activists and lawmakers at the event, a kickoff of the campaign to put a California border-police initiative on the 2006 ballot.

Immigration has long been one of those topics that ebbs and flows in the public interest. But it has not been an issue, political analysts say, that elections historically have turned on.

However, a combination of factors in the post-9/11 atmosphere may mean that that political calculus is changing. There is increasing activism among those seeking a crackdown on illegal immigration. The issue is spreading beyond just a few border states.

And in recent days, the Democratic governors of Arizona and New Mexico declared emergencies in border counties in their states because of the violence associated with the smuggling of illegal immigrants across the Mexican border. Their actions allow them to use emergency funds to beef up police at the border.

Gilchrist's entrance into the race "will be a fascinating test of the power of the illegal-immigration issue," GOP consultant Kevin Spillane said. The last such test, he said, was 11 years ago when Proposition 187, which attempted to curtail benefits to illegal immigrants, was on the ballot.

For a decade after that, Republicans were loathe to touch the issue because they had been branded anti-Hispanic and anti-immigrant.

The party is now at a crossroads on this issue.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, who has railed against illegal immigration for a decade, insists that people are finally upset enough about illegal immigration that they will hold public officials accountable.

"I think no matter who runs, the next two election cycles will sweep away people who are not tough enough on illegal immigration," said Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach.

Not all Republicans hold that view.

President George W. Bush embraces the notion of a new guest- worker program that would allow some people here illegally to work legally, even if just for a temporary period.

And in Arizona, several Republican congressmen and Sen. John McCain have proposed legislation that would eventually allow the estimated 10 million illegal immigrants to become citizens.

Democrats are not monolithic on this issue but by and large support more relaxed immigration rules.

"This is a very volatile, unpredictable debate, and it could be that Gilchrist will become a political rock star," says Frank Sharry, head of the National Immigration Forum, a pro-immigration advocacy group. "It could also be that Republicans will follow the anti-immigration scent right over the cliff. I'm guessing that right now (Bush political adviser) Karl Rove is thinking how do we satisfy the growing clamor for enforcement only with the fact that the political future of the party depends on increasing the Latino vote."

Sharry pointed out that in a handful of primary races where Republicans who favored the president's approach to immigration were challenged, the challengers did not win.

Yet in San Dimas, Republican Rep. David Dreier had a closer race in 2004 than the veteran lawmaker has ever had. Questions about whether he was tough enough on illegal immigration were viewed as the reason. Since that election, Dreier has had a high profile on the issue.

Rohrabacher has supported Gilchrist's project to station volunteers to patrol the border. But he is supporting Campbell for the House seat. Rohrabacher and other lawmakers identified with this issue say Campbell's views track with Gilchrist's.

But Gilchrist supporters point to a vote Campbell cast in the Assembly allowing children of illegal immigrants to get in-state tuition benefits. Campbell says Democrats misrepresented that piece of legislation. He is a state co-chairman of the proposed ballot initiative that would create a state border police force.

Gilchrist was cheered by about 80 activists who sat in the audience during the radio broadcast, many of whom came to Ontario to help collect signatures for the border-patrol initiatives.

While fewer people were in the audience when Campbell appeared on the radio show, he got lots of applause as he ticked off what he said he's done to fight illegal immigration.

Anti-immigration activists say Gilchrist's border activism is enough for them.

"The Minuteman Project. That's all he's know for to the average Joe, but that's all it takes," said Joe Nilson, a retired circuit board technician who lives just outside the 48th in Rancho Santa Margarita.

Gilchrist was endorsed this week by a colorful Orange County political figure – former Rep. Bob Dornan, who had considered a run at this seat. Dornan says he will campaign and work for Gilchrist because he sees border security as the No. 1 issue.

That prompted Orange County GOP Chairman Scott Baugh to say that "for every three votes Gilchrist picks up from Dornan, it will cost him 100."

Political consultants interviewed this week agreed that the combination of Gilchrist's candidacy and a likely field of more than a dozen candidates will make it difficult for anyone to get the majority necessary in the Oct. 4 primary to avoid a Dec. 6 runoff election.

Experts also suggest that former Assemblywoman Marilyn Brewer is likely to benefit most from Gilchrist's candidacy because he is likely to siphon more votes from Campbell than her.

Brewer strategist Harvey Englander said she agrees with Gilchrist on immigration although she has not yet taken a position on the border-police initiative.

Brewer plans to make an issue out of Campbell's vote on the in-state tuition bill, although former Assemblyman Ken Maddox tried that in his senate primary race against Campbell last year, and it didn't work.

"I don't think you're going to see much of a difference in views on immigration between the Republicans and Mr. Gilchrist," said Baugh, who in keeping with tradition is remaining publicly neutral in the primary. Baugh said Orange County voters have long been concerned about immigration, "but it's not going to be an issue at the forefront of everybody's mind on election day."

When Congress returns from its August recess next month, senators are expected to start debating in earnest the various approaches to immigration reform. That debate will be ongoing as 48th District voters go to the polls in October.

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Forgive my skepticism but, I have to wonder if maybe Mr Gilchrist didn't have pollical plans when he first started the minuteman project.

And what good does he think he'll do if he is eletic. After all he'll be just one of many jr congressmen, big business runs the goverment and only the things they want done will be done.

And if he runs and loses he'll be damaged goods as far as the immigration cause goes.

If Mr Gilchest really cared about the cause he would continue to operate the minuteman project, bring attention to the thousands flooding into this country instead of trying to join the Washington good ol boy club on the hill.

He will NOT have the support of the NCCM or myself.