Posted on 05/05/2010 7:26:11 AM PDT by ConjunctionJunction
The White House is set to step up pressure on some key Republicans in hopes of winning support for comprehensive immigration reform.
But it’s shaping up to be a struggle, based on interviews with the senators President Barack Obama has approached on the issue.
The administration is starting with a pool of 11 Republicans who voted for immigration reform in 2006. Subtract a few who are dead-ends — such as John McCain, who faces a tough primary in Arizona — and that leaves the White House zeroing in on several others, including Dick Lugar, Judd Gregg and Lisa Murkowski and a couple of newcomers: Scott Brown and George LeMieux.
Each got a call from President Barack Obama from Air Force One two weeks ago. And last Wednesday, Obama stressed that without Republican support immigration reform is a nonstarter.
Next up, White House staff will reach out to the senators’ staffs to test out an outline of a Democratic proposal on immigration. Senate Democrats also have approached the White House about hosting an immigration summit to elevate the issue, an idea that came up during a meeting with immigration groups last Thursday, a person familiar with the meeting said.
Six other Republican senators voted for immigration reform four years ago — Bob Bennett, Sam Brownback, Susan Collins, Mitch McConnell, Olympia Snowe and George Voinovich — but here are the Top 5 the White House is focused on now:
George LeMieux of Florida
Open to talking, wants to see Obama out front
He’s seen as open to supporting reform because he’s a seat warmer who will be out of the Senate next year, after taking the seat that opened up when Mel Martinez retired.
LeMieux is considered a possible challenger to Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, but voting for immigration reform isn’t seen as harmful to that effort because Florida’s Latino voters are a powerful voting bloc.
When asked whether he would consider supporting an immigration bill, LeMieux said he has not seen the Democrats’ proposal but is more than willing to meet with them to review it. But, he said, reform is going to require a hands-on approach from Obama.
“Immigration is obviously a big issue for Florida. It’s a big issue for this country,” LeMieux said. “It’s going to take a lot of leadership from the president — we’re going to need to see the president get out behind a proposal.”
Dick Lugar of Indiana
Friendship with Obama doesn’t extend to backing reform
Lugar voted for immigration reform in 2006 and is one of Obama’s closest friends in the Senate.
But he said the White House is wasting its time on him and “can cross me off” the shortlist of potential Republican supporters.
“I’m not planning to support an immigration bill or co-sponsor one this year,” Lugar said. “I reserve the right to vote for or against one if one occurs. It appears to me, given the schedule of the Senate, it’s not going to happen.”
Scott Brown of Massachusetts
41st Republican wants a focus on jobs instead
Brown is an obvious target for Democrats on immigration reform. He’s new, represents a liberal state and has promised to work across the aisle, which he has in voting with Democrats on a jobs bill and unemployment benefits. He also replaced the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, a Democrat who, along with McCain, co-sponsored the 2006 immigration bill.
Brown didn’t want to talk immigration reform, though. When asked what it would take to win him over, he said, “I’d have to see what they’re proposing.”
“We’re working on financial reform. The president called me, but that’s it,” he added. “I think we should be focusing on jobs instead of all this other stuff.” He said he doesn’t think immigration reform is related to jobs concerns.
Judd Gregg of New Hampshire
Wants to strengthen border security first
He’s been one of the Obama administration’s toughest critics on budget and deficit issues, but Gregg voted for immigration reform in 2006 and has preconditions for supporting it again.
Before he’ll even discuss a comprehensive immigration bill, he said, his precondition is that the administration must take immediate and separate action on securing the border. Even legislation that secures the border first, as Democrats propose, is not enough.
“Right now, the administration is in hiding on the issue of enforcing security at the border. They’ve got the resources, they’ve got the authorization, and they just need to do it,” said Gregg, suggesting the National Guard be posted along the border within months. “The American people are not going to agree to immigration reform until they see the border secured.”
Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Reform prospects not “favorable”
Murkowski voted for immigration reform in 2006. As vice chairwoman of the Senate Republican Conference, she said her office has been meeting with Latino leaders to discuss immigration.
But she told Obama in their phone call that “the likelihood of something happening this year is pretty slim until the situation down on the border in Arizona is resolved.”
When asked if she would rule out taking up reform this year, Murkowski said: “I do not believe that the prospects are favorable at all, and I’m certainly not working to help accelerate it.”
Manu Raju contributed to this report.
Comprehensive immigration reform = One last good screwing before November.
“..One last good screwing before November...”
Or perhaps an attempt to flood our streets with a ready-to-rock, custom-made criminal revolutionary insurgency.
Just sayin’...
I don't see it happening. Obama/Reid/Pelosi promised congressional democrats that HR would become popular after it was passed and it hasn't (Pelosi: “We have to pass it to tell the voters what's in it”) . I don't expect democrats to make anymore tough votes this year.
I think they think they can cheat their way thru the generals in nov and have already gotten paid for the casualties they will take, to be replaced by unknown commies to be named [outed] later...
“...to be replaced by unknown commies to be named [outed] later..”
Bingo...
We shall see.
Could be so have to wait.
Ping!
I like my amnesty plan!
Please call them INVADERS and don’t compare them to people who are legal aliens!
IF you aid and abet CRIMINALS, you are a criminal!
It should be made a felony for Criminals who overstay their visas or just Invade.
I believe we should give amnesty to these poor CRIMINALS or INVADERS.
This should be a 2 week amnesty to get the heck out of our Country.
The ones who ignore this amnesty should be buried in a tent city jail and fined $10,000 or buried elsewhere.
All aiders and abettors of these CRIMINALS or INVADERS should get 1 year in a tent city jail and a $10,000 fine for each CRIMINAL aided.
Those in government should be the first ones charged.
I suggest the Tea Parties or similar groups hold rallys in each of their home states threatening primaries.
“to be replaced by unknown commies to be named [outed] later... “
Yeah ;-)
“The White House is set to step up pressure on some key Republicans in hopes of winning support for amnesty”
good question...the border has never been secured
All this talk, talk, talk, about immigration, when that is the last thing comprehensive immigration reform is about.
The bill needs to be about illegal immigration, and believe it or not we already have laws in place about illegal immigration.
More smoke mirrors and deception, for the unwary, uninformed, uneducated, ignorant, uninitiated, sheep.
Someone with leadership, brains, and balls needs to stand up and say, we are spinning our wheels and spitting in the wind to spend our efforts on what has already been accomplished. Lets obey the laws of the land and be done with it.
If you want to increase the number of legal Mexican workers in this country then do it on a one page bill, that doesn’t provide amnesty for chain migrants and their entire extended families on both sides of the border.
Geez the sheer stupidity, in Congress, or worse the willful and knowing trashing of every principle, and rule of law this nation was founded on.
Utah just ended Bob Bennett's career, mainly over this issue.
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