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Pederson gets money help, group flunks McCain on immigration
Mike Sunnucks
The Business Journal
U.S. Sen. Barack Obama is the latest national Democrat to lend a hand to Valley shopping center developer Jim Pederson's Senate bid.

Obama, a first-term Illinois Democrat, is making fundraising pleas on behalf of Pederson to the party faithful. The senator will also help the Arizona Democratic Party in November when he headlines a big fundraising dinner in the Valley.

Pederson is challenging Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl next year in what is expected to be the most expensive race in state history.

Pederson, a wealthy real estate developer and top Democratic donor, is already getting help from Sen. John Kerry. The real estate executive also has close ties with Gov. Janet Napolitano and other national Democrats, including national party chairman Howard Dean as well as Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Kerry has sent out two fundraising appeals to supporters on behalf of Pederson. Billionaire Democratic financier George Soros hosted a recent fundraiser in New York for Democratic Senate efforts and Napolitano headlined a recent Phoenix breakfast with Pederson.

Kyl is a strong ally of President Bush, is popular with business interests and social conservatives and has warm ties with Arizona Sen. John McCain.

Meanwhile, a conservative immigration group gave Arizona's congressional delegation a C grade, including a failing grade for McCain, when it comes to getting tough on immigration and border security issues.

Americans for Better Immigration has released new grades for federal lawmakers on immigration matters. ABI favors tougher border and immigration controls and opposes guest worker or amnesty plans for illegals already in the U .S.

The group gives McCain, a Republican presidential hopeful and main sponsor of a business-backed guest worker bill in Washington, an F. ABI also fails Democratic Congressmen Ed Pastor and Raul Grijalva and gave a D-minus grade to Tucson GOP Congressman Jim Kolbe.

Kolbe and East Valley Republican Jeff Flake are teaming with McCain on the guest worker bill, Flake, a Republican received a C grade.

The best marks went to conservative Valley Congressmen John Shadegg, Trent Franks and J.D. Hayworth. Those three Republicans favor 'get-tough approaches' to the Mexican border and immigration.

GOP Sen. Jon Kyl received a C grade despite favoring a more get tough immigration package than his cohort McCain.

The McCain/Flake/Kolbe plans allows illegals already in the U.S. to apply legal status after paying a $2,000 fine and going through background checks. Kyl's plan calls for illegals to return their home country and then apply for reentry.

Business groups -- including the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry -- like McCain's plan, while it faces some conservative opponents who detest anything that smacks of amnesty for illegals already in the U.S.