Thread: Poll: Voters Unaware of Candidates’ Immigration Positions

FYI -- Mark Krikorian]

Contact: Steven Camarota
sac@cis.org, (202) 466-8185


Poll: Voters Unaware of Candidates’
Immigration Positions
McCain Supporters Farthest Off the Mark

WASHINGTON (March 31, 2007) – A new poll using neutral language finds that primary and caucus voters have little knowledge of candidates’ immigration positions. The results also show that voters often do not share their candidate's position.

For results and tables, go to http://www.cis.org/articles/2008/voter_release_08.html

Among the findings:

# Only 34 percent of McCain voters, 42 percent of Clinton voters, and 52 percent of Obama voters correctly identified their candidate as favoring eventual citizenship for illegal immigrants who meet certain requirements.

# Of McCain voters, 35 percent mistakenly thought he favored enforcement that would cause illegals to return home, another 10 percent thought he wanted mass deportations, and 21 percent didn’t know his position.

# Voters often held different positions from the candidate they supported. Only 31 percent of McCain voters had the same immigration position as he does. For Clinton voters, 45 percent shared her position; 61 percent of Obama voters shared his position.

# This lack of knowledge, coupled with disagreements with their candidates’ positions, makes it very difficult to draw any conclusions about the fact that all three remaining candidates favor legalization for illegal immigrants.

# Whoever wins the presidency will face significant opposition to giving eventual citizenship to illegal immigrants. Just 25 percent of Republican and 50 percent of Democratic primary/caucus voters said they would support such an effort.

# Pro-enforcement voters have a greater intensity of views than supporters of legalization. Among Republicans, almost nine out ten who favored causing illegals to return home said they strongly supported that view; on the other hand, fewer than half of Republicans who backed legalization strongly supported that view.

# This greater intensity also exists among Democrats. Of Democrats who favored causing illegals to return home, more than seven out of ten strongly supported that view; on the other hand, fewer than six out of ten who favored legalization strongly supported that view.

Methodology: The survey of 1,276 persons who voted in a primary or caucus was conducted March 12-13. The survey was conducted by Pulse Opinion Research.


# # #

The Center for Immigration Studies is an independent research institute
which examines the impact of immigration on the United States.

Only 34 percent of McCain voters, 42 percent of Clinton voters, and 52 percent of Obama voters correctly identified their candidate as favoring eventual citizenship for illegal immigrants who meet certain requirements.

Ignorance abounds. It's part of our job to inform voters.

66% of the people that voted for McCain either had it dead wrong or had no clue about his immigration stance.

How did this happen?

W

Good question. In California, McCain flooded the airwaves with tough sounding ads about border security in the days before the primary.

Note, the date of this press release is mistakenly listed as 3-31-2007.

Nation of pod people ? Beats me, I've been wondering this for years now .

I think it started with the " greatist generations " offspring who turned into hippys . The poor war torn vets forgot to dissapline their socialist brats who destroyed the nations family structure . I think that and womens lib was the begining of the end .

No money from pops, no free sex and socialism . Can't demonsrate if your broke ! Can't buy LSD ,Mariwanna or get ride to clinics for STD or drug treatment .

Originally Posted by Populist

Only 34 percent of McCain voters, 42 percent of Clinton voters, and 52 percent of Obama voters correctly identified their candidate as favoring eventual citizenship for illegal immigrants who meet certain requirements.

Ignorance abounds. It's part of our job to inform voters.

If 52% of obama voters know that he wants a path to citizenship, then we are really int trouble if he makes it.

I know many Vietnam era veterans who see him too simply, as one of them. They don't know much about him and are really shocked when I show them some of the available background on him. Many times I have to show them video of some of his outbursts, they are generally in disbelief. Understandably, it is hard for many to figure out. Most have an understanding that he is the oppositte of Hillary. Honestly, I think Fox News is greatly responsible for his non-negative image. They have not pursued anything negative on McCain. The Left stations haven't because they don't want a real Conservative running and don't want to broadcast his shortcomings until he is chosen as the candidate. McCain is a Bill O'Reilly Republican.

Well, there was that recent Associated Press story about brain candy drugs in the drinking water, perhaps that is a culprit. lol

W

Maybe they aren't faced with the evidence of their lives changing.

I'll take them out to lunch to discuss it...


Then we can stop at my corner market to get some loteria and phone cards. I might send some money remittances to my aunt in Canada.


We got our work cut out for us...

You know they are not going to debate immigration. What's there to debate between them? They are all in agreement, except for the possibility that McCain will offer amnesty but require the illegals to pay a fee and he considers that fiscal responsibility. However, Clinton and Obama will hand out amnesty for free and throw in a Socialist healthcare plan.

Your choice is 4 more years of it and it is likely to get worse. Choose wisely.

Dixie