Posted on 06/29/2006 10:19:29 AM PDT by Dane
Utah race stirs calls for a deal on immigration After Bush ally scores a victory in GOP primary, one lawmaker pushes comprehensive bill
By GEBE MARTINEZ
WASHINGTON - With President Bush's immigration policy surviving fierce criticism in a Utah congressional race, lawmakers on both sides of the debate turned their attention Wednesday to finding a compromise on immigration legislation.
Those who oppose Bush's call for immigration reform — which includes a guest worker program and legalization opportunities for millions of illegal immigrants along with tougher border security — saw five-term Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, survive a tough primary challenge after allying with Bush on the issue.
Cannon defeated businessman John Jacob 56 percent to 44 percent on Tuesday after Jacob, an opponent of Bush's immigration plan, tried to make the race a referendum on the issue. Most House Republicans want a bill that calls only for tougher enforcement of immigration laws.
Cannon's victory was celebrated by Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., who discussed with Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney on Wednesday his plan to tighten borders first and then leave room for consideration for other immigration programs.
He proposes that after two years, illegal immigrants would have to go home briefly to have their backgrounds and job status checked before being allowed re-entry to the United States. The Senate bill does not require most of the 12 million illegal immigrants to go home.
Pence said Cannon's victory indicates that "those of us who are calling for tough border security measures in some kind of a comprehensive bill can know that we're standing on a sure foundation of support among Republican voters."
White House spokesman Tony Snow, noting Cannon's win, said Americans want comprehensive reform. "The president remains determined to get all of the pieces addressed at once in legislation, and not to do it piecemeal, but to have comprehensive reform," he said.
But Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., who formed a group that targeted Cannon for defeat, said the primary nonetheless showed that immigration is a tough election-year issue. "If it takes the president's participation in a safe Republican district to get elected, he's got a lot of work cut out for him," Tancredo said.
House Majority Leader John Boehner of Ohio declined to say whether House Republicans would compromise their "enforcement only" stance for "enforcement first."
And House leaders said Cannon's win adds no momentum in the House to Bush's immigration policy. "The vast majority of our conference believes that strengthening our border, securing it and enforcing our laws are critical steps in the process of cleaning up the problem that we have," Boehner said.
Also this,
But Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., who formed a group that targeted Cannon for defeat, said the primary nonetheless showed that immigration is a tough election-year issue. "If it takes the president's participation in a safe Republican district to get elected, he's got a lot of work cut out for him," Tancredo said.
IOW, tancredo is so dizzy, yes so dizzy trying to spin his humiliating defeat.
"And House leaders said Cannon's win adds no momentum in the House to Bush's immigration policy. "The vast majority of our conference believes that strengthening our border, securing it and enforcing our laws are critical steps in the process of cleaning up the problem that we have," Boehner said."
Pence, Snow and Bush are dreaming if they think that Cannon winning was a referendum on compromise.
It was a single district, in a single state (a small one population wise at that) and has absolutely no place to function as a bellweather for the majority.
I would call it a draw in the sense of the "big picture".
I want Border Security and I want it now!
Secure the border, then address immigration and those illegals here already!
Just Say No To Amnesty!
That's not a very convincing win by a 5 term incumbent in his own party's primary.
Well said.
Gee, it wasn't as if there was more than one issue at stake here. It was all illegals right? Nothing to do with Jacob's stupid satan statement or the "hiring illegals" meme that Cannon pushed. Bilbray told the tale on illegals in CA, we will see what happens in Nov to illegal supporters.
The point is not Bilbray or Cannon. The point is that immigration is finally showing up on the threat radars of Joe & Jane Suburbanites.
CIRA is DOA
Spence's "privatized amnesty" is non-starter.
The anti-immigration pendulum has only begun to swing. In another decade, you'll be able to count the number of immigrants - legal or illegal - on the fingers of your two hands.
Yes it is Mr/Ms. PC, especially when the tancredo/bay buchanan PAC put $50,000 into trying to defeat Cannon and the massive local and national press the primary race got.
Oh BTW, turnout was very low, the tancredo/bay buchanan PAC held a referendum on immigration in one of the most conservative districts in the US and nobody came.
Huh but those working in the tancredo/bay buchanan basement were saying on FR, that that wouldn't matter, I can pull up the posts, if you wish to see him.
But the spin goes on, the spin goes on.
Hey Bushbot, you stink so bad it's eminating from my computer.
Did you ever ponder that it could be the three day old underwear you are wearing.
A normal multi-term incumbent should easily get 90%+ in a primary. That loose Cannon only got 56% indicates he's not particularly strong. I wonder how much Cannon spent to counteract that $50,000?
Ask the 15 or so families who had loved ones tortured and murdered by Angel Resendiz how they feel about it.
Hi Dane. For the nineteenth day in a row I'm going to ask your opinion on the Mike Pence compromise. Would you support it or are3 you sticking with the Senate?
Really? Huh the tancredo/bay buchanan PAC spent all that money, plus Jacob who spent a lot more money than Cannon's primary opponent in 2004 and they still lost, even with all the massive local and national publicity.
If the immigration issue had any legs, the turnout would have been higher and the margin a lot closer.
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