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Republican congressional candidates are taking tough stances on illegal immigration even though they know that Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) presidential run could complicate their races this fall.
Lou Barletta is one of them. The Hazleton, Pa., mayor hopes to unseat 12-term Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D) by highlighting a get-tough immigration stand. Barletta signed an ordinance that made English his city’s official language and allowed fines against landlords who rent out to undocumented residents. He now wants to come to Washington to fight efforts that would grant amnesty to immigrants who are in the country illegally. He laments that his party’s national leaders, McCain and President Bush, last year backed such a bill.
“There was no question I was disappointed in how they are handling illegal immigration, because of the effect … I see it having all across communities across the country,” he said.
Barletta blames illegal immigrants for a crime wave in Hazleton. Those local issues, not his party’s presidential candidate, will determine the outcome of his race, he said.
The problem for Barletta and other illegal immigration hawks is that the issue has not proven to be a winner. Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R), both opponents of the immigration reform bill sponsored by McCain, did not advance in the presidential primaries. In the 2006 election, anti-amnesty messages also failed to propel Arizona Republicans Randy Graf and former Rep. J.D. Hayworth to victory in their House races.
Barletta’s run promises to be just as tough. When he first ran against Kanjorski in 2002, he lost by 13 points. Back then, however, Barletta had yet to make a name as a national opponent of illegal immigration.
Doug Thornell, spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said that McCain’s nomination interferes with Republican plans to “demagogue” on immigration in House and Senate races. But he still expects immigration hawks and their allies among 527 advocacy groups to stress the issue and help turn out conservative voters.
“The base of the Republican Party lacks enthusiasm, and Republicans are looking for any sort of way to generate excitement,” he said.
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