J.D. Heyworth here in AZ5 didn't talk about anything but border fences for the last year. He lost.
The bottom line, the congress passed a border fence, but did *not* pass "amnesty", and the Repubs lost. Either the swing voters were mad because they think a fence is a simpleton answer to a complex question, or they wanted a more comprehensive approach and didn't get it. Either way, the enforcement only option is a loser.
Hayworth, a six-term incumbent representing Scottsdale, Tempe and parts of Mesa, Phoenix and Chandler, was dogged all year by ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Forti added that when he mentioned Hayworth’s “scandal factor” he meant that by election day, Democrats and others had successfully painted the Republican as a candidate entrenched in political wrongdoing.
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http://www.loftydonkey.com/article/149/gop-spokesman-hayworth-lost-race
Most all the Democrats ran on illegal immigration enforcement. All were moderates or so called "conservative democrats".
You aren't going to convince anyone around here that illegal immigration is not a strong issue.
Why did Arizona pass 4 initiatives against illegals with a 70% margin?
Why are municipalities all over the country passing ordinances against illegals?
1. More dishonesty. You know the fence and immigration was not a big issue this past election. Gas prices, Iraq, the economy, scandals and ethics were the big things.
2. A fence is supported by a strong majority of Americans, so I doubt it hurt anyone.
According to a new survey by Rasmussen Reports, 60 percent of those surveyed like the idea of a barrier along the U.S. Southwest border as a means of dramatically reducing illegal immigration from Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America.
3. Why must the open borders advocates live in a total fantasy world?