Nov 30, 2011

Immigration Politics: A tightrope for GOP contenders: Tough talk now, but keeping general election in mind

AP/Washington Post: "The Republican presidential contenders are tying themselves in knots over immigration.

Newt Gingrich is endorsing a South Carolina law that allows police to demand a person’s immigration status — a week after taking heat for advocating a “humane” approach. Rick Perry, though defending Texas’ in-state tuition for some illegal immigrants’ kids, spent Tuesday campaigning with a hardline Arizona sheriff in New Hampshire. And Mitt Romney is talking tough on immigration in his second White House campaign, though he previously supported the idea of allowing some illegal immigrants to stay in the U.S.

... The contortions by the Republican candidates illustrate the straddle they’re attempting on a complex issue. In order to win the Republican nomination, they must court a GOP electorate that is largely against anything that could be called “amnesty” for illegal immigrants. But they can’t come off as anti-immigrant, a stance that could alienate the independents and moderates — not to mention Hispanics — they’d need to attract in a general election should they win the party’s nod to challenge President Barack Obama." read more

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