Posted on 04/27/2006 3:17:35 PM PDT by VU4G10
A new poll from Rasmussen Reports has some bad news for Republicans—well, almost all Republicans. If you’re Rep. Tom Tancredo (R.-Colo.), the news couldn’t be better.
While a generic Republican candidate trails a generic Democrat by 12 percentage points, according to the poll, a third-party candidate who runs on a get-tough-on-immigration platform not only beats the Republican, but also actually runs even with the Democrat. Here’s an excerpt:
The survey also asked respondents how they would vote if "a third party candidate ran in 2008 and promised to build a barrier along the Mexican border and make enforcement of immigration law his top priority."
With that option, support fell sharply for both major parties. The Democrats still come out on top with support from 31% of Americans. The third party candidate moved into a virtual tie at 30% while the GOP fell to 21%.
If anyone fits Rasmussen’s description it’s Tancredo, who has made a very public name for himself as the anti-illegal-immigration crusader in Congress. And having spent time in both Iowa and New Hampshire beginning last year, he’s posited himself to be the candidate who could play spoiler.
Coming back to reality for just one moment, I should note the rest of the Rasmussen commentary about the poll numbers:
This result probably reflects unhappiness with both parties on the immigration issue rather than a true opportunity for a third party. Historically, issues that drive third party candidates get co-opted by one of the major parties as they demonstrate popular appeal. Most Americans favor a barrier along the border and enforcement of existing law prior to other reforms.
With the immigration issue candidate as an option, 36% of conservative voters opt for the Republican candidate while 35% take the third party option. Among political moderates, 34% pick the Democrat while 32% prefer the third party option.
I’d recommend reading the full Rasmussen summary as well as my post last night about the new Diageo/Hotline poll on Democrats.
From Tancredo's personal homepage:
THE COURAGE OF OUR CONVICTIONS -
THE COURAGE TO FIGHT FOR
LOWER TAXES, LESS REGULATION...
MORE EDUCATIONAL CHOICE...
SMALLER, MORE EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT...
IMMIGRATION & BORDER SECURITY REFORM...
Some folks need to develop a sense of current perspective, and longer term thinking. A dose of right from wrong in law enforcement might come in handy too.
Ding
Then look at the Constitution Party. The Republicans are no more Conservative than the Democrats.
CONSERVATIVES.....Unite! Your long National Nightmare will be over when this True Conservative Patriot Is elected President in 2008. Support someone who will speak to the issues and make all Americans CONTRIBUTORS and address the WILL OF THE PEOPLE! There is a better choice! Whats your excuse now for not supporting a BETTER AMERICA?
Because illegal immigration is just one issue. If illegal immigration were destroying the economy, the American public might get more excited about it. But they look around, they see illegals working at crummy jobs, and don't think it's that big a deal. Tomorrow, the speculation is that the growth figures for the first quarter will be 6%. Six percent growth! That's pretty good.
Illegal immigration has not been in the top five of issues influencing elections in my lifetime. I suspect it won't be this year, either, though it may be a priority for you and a few others.
"Has immigration really become the most important thing in the world to everyone, or is this temporary insanity??"
If we don't handle ILLEGAL immigration, nothing else really matters, because the country is gone. If the country hangs in the balance, then, yeah, immigration really has become the most important thing in OUR wolrd.
Is your issue healthcare? Illegal aliens are causing the bankruptcy and closing of clinics and hospitals across the country, and putting a strain on healthcare plans because you have to make up in taxes and premiums what they don't have to pay for in healthcare.
Is your issue jobs? You don't even need to be told then that illegals are taking jobs that could be done by Americans, and which were done by Americans, before our business and political elites decided this nation and its laws weren't as important as cheap labor.
Is your issue education? The children of illegals are crowding our public schools, creating tensions and costing extra money through their special needs, such as bilingual instruction.
Is your issue government spending? Illegal aliens cost billions of dollars more in state government spending through federal mandates, busting budgets all across the land.
Is your issue balance of payments? Illegal aliens may come here to work, but they remit billions of dollars of what they earn back to their countries of origin, worsening our balance of payments and putting pressure on the dollar.
Is your issue crime? Illegal aliens are responsible for a horrific level of violent personal and property crime in America, as has been repeatedly documented by patriots like Heather MacDonald and Michelle Malkin.
Is your issue the national sovereignty of the United States? Massive illegal immigration, especially from Mexico, has allowed the Mexican government to make demands on American governmental representatives that so-called "rights" of illegal aliens be "respected," and to orchestrate massive "demonstrations" of illegals within our own borders.
Finally, is your issue...just maybe...in this time of war....something like....
NATIONAL SECURITY AND DEFENSE AGAINST TERRORISM????
Open borders and a massive, uninspected inflow of aliens creates problems for national security and opportunities for terrorists that even a four year old child should be able to understand!!!!
So no: immigration is not a "single issue"---it's the issue that encompasses just about every other issue you can think of....and the very future of our sovereign nation to boot.
What I truly don't understand are the people here who profess not to care about it.
"though it may be a priority for you and a few others."
Me and a few others? LOL
Yes thats HIM!, I think they respect him, Leadership means alot to these guys.
"I think I could get more votes than Tancredo.
President Pukin?"
Only from democrats and fellow rinos.
Great post. Absolutely correct.
You miss the point. There is an issue: It is called OBEYING THE LAW.
(It never ceases to amaze me at how dumb people are.)
"Are you one of those racist? You want to starve poor little Mexican babies? You make me sick. Your just like the Nazis."
All of the above and proud of it!
I wrote in Tancredo in the last Presidental Primary and if he's on the ballot he will get my vote.
Ever heard of the word, "cancer"? My brother had leukemia for months before he died of the disease.
No I got your point.
But such accusations would not alter my vote.
If Free Republic's status quo contingent of centrist Republicans had their way, the GOP candidate choices in 2008 might be between a liberal named Rudy Giuliani and an unstable mavarick named John McCain. LOL Pence and Tancredo are longshots at this point, but both men are solid Reagan conservatives and have much more to offer America then what RudyG or McCain have to offer.
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