Posted on 06/28/2006 3:42:39 AM PDT by Dane
UT 3: Cannon's Win Blunts Immigration Foes' Momentum By Michael Teitelbaum | 3:34 AM; Jun. 28, 2006 | Email This Article
Five-term Rep. Chris Cannon won Tuesday’s Republican primary in Utah’s 3rd Congressional District by a comfortable margin, thwarting a determined effort by challenger John Jacob and some activist opponents of illegal immigration to cast him out because of his relatively moderate position on that hot-button issue.
Cannon’s win — by 56 percent to 44 percent, with all precincts reporting — also was a political pick-me-up for President Bush, with whom Cannon is allied in supporting a nuanced approach on immigration: They both support a plan, embodied in a bill passed by the Senate and backed by many in the business community, that combines tougher border security with a guest worker program that would legitimize employment and provide a path to citizenship for many of the estimated 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants currently in the United States.
That measure stands in contrast to a House bill, passed mainly with support of Republican members, that focuses almost entirely on immigration law enforcement and border security and excludes any mention of a guest worker program. Jacob endorsed the House approach in his challenge to Cannon.
Bush recorded an endorsement statement for Cannon near the end of the primary campaign that was widely broadcast in Utah 3, a conservative Republican bastion where the president received a whopping 77 percent of the vote in his 2004 re-election contest. First lady Laura Bush also recorded a message on Cannon’s behalf.
It would be an exaggeration to say that the outcome was a clear-cut verdict on the immigration issue. The White House backing was just one of several major advantages enjoyed by Cannon, including his ability to tout legislative measures he had taken on behalf of the district as the incumbent, name ID that was far superior to Jacob’s, and a campaign treasury that was roughly double that of the challenger.
Jacob also exposed his political inexperience, and may have damaged his campaign, with a pair of late and ill-timed statements.
Jacob said a “force” had been working against him in the primary and in his business life and, when pressed, indicated that the force was Satan. He also said he once did some gambling, but stopped when the leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — to which Jacob, Cannon and most 3rd District residents belong — condemned such activities.
But the outcome of the primary will be most analyzed for what it says about immigration, and will likely challenge some preconceived notions about how the issue is playing politically — particularly among those Republicans who contend that the party’s conservative base is fired up about the issue and demanding a hardline approach.
The contest was portrayed by those on both sides as a microcosm of the Republican schism over immigration, and its venue in an overwhelmingly conservative district made it a test case of the priority that the party base places on the issue.
Jacob constantly tested Cannon on this central campaign issue. He was supported by staunch activist opponents of illegal immigration who portrayed Cannon as too soft, likening his position to “amnesty” (a characterization to which the incumbent strongly objected).
Jacob was backed by a roughly $50,000 independent expenditure on ads, most of them blasting Cannon, run by Team America, a political action committee founded by Colorado Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo — Congress’ most vocal hardliner on immigration — and currently led by Bay Buchanan, a conservative media figure and sister of former presidential aspirant Pat Buchanan.
Buchanan was undeterred by Cannon’s victory. “With a very direct and simple message and little money, we have been able to take an incumbent Republican and put him on the ropes, forcing the establishment to circle the wagons,” Buchanan said. She noted that this was the first of many races in which the PAC will be an active participant, adding, “We have made this congressman pay for his amnesty votes.”
The conservative dissidents can legitimately claim to having chipped a bit into Cannon’s support base. Cannon’s vote percentage was down a couple of points from 2004, when he faced a primary challenge from former state Rep. Matt Throckmorton — also focused primarily on the immigration issue — and won by 58 percent to 42 percent.
Cannon secured his relatively easy victory by maintaining majority support in his home base of Utah County, which includes the city of Provo and provides roughly half of the district’s vote. Cannon won there with 55 percent — the same vote share he received in the 2004 primary — even though Jacob, a developer, also resides in Utah County.
Cannon did endure some slippage elsewhere: It was most pronounced in the suburbs of Salt Lake City, which provides roughly a third of the district’s vote. The district’s portion of Salt Lake County — where Cannon won by 19 percentage points two years ago — gave Cannon just a 3 percentage-point edge over Jacob.
Cannon nonetheless outran Jacob in all seven counties that are wholly or partially in the 3rd.
Despite an often vitriolic campaign, Jacob conceded with a unity statement in which he said, “Congressman Cannon and I were not opponents; we were two patriots with differing views for America’s future.” He added, “It is true that Congressman Cannon and I have had disagreements. There will be time enough to address those continuing concerns, but tonight we lay aside our differences in order to unite together as Republicans.”
Cannon now rates as a shoo-in for his general election contest against lawyer Christian Burridge, who was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Cannon was re-elected two years ago with 63 percent of the vote.
CQ rates the general election contest as Safe Republican. Please visit CQPolitics.com’s Election Forecaster for ratings on all rating
The real headline should read:
CANNON TURNS HARD RIGHT IN ADS LEADING UP TO ELECTIONS: WINS PRIMARY.
It will be interesting to follow Cannon's future votes on immigration issues.
It is to your and your sides advantage to keep immigration off the radar in order to make your radical and unprecedented immigration proposals more easily enacted.
Silly.
Your argument is silly.
I guess the next step is for Jacob to accuse the Devil of helping Cannon steal the election...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.