While the open border crowd likes to point to a couple of big names of pro border control reps (Hayworth, Allen) who lost in the last election as evidence of public opinion, fact is border control won in the last election.
My former pro amnesty republican congressman (Joe Schwarz) lost to an anti amnesty conservative (Tim Walberg). The same story was repeated across the nation. In some cases pro border control democrats took the seat of open border republicans. Lots of people don’t like to hear it but we actually manage to squeeze some good pro control votes out of Debbie Stabenow here in Michigan.
Simply stated, the open border crowd tends to lie at every opportunity.
Hayworth lost for a number of reasons, but immigration wasn't one of them. Mitchell tried to out tough Hayworth on immigration issues. Hayworth lost because of redistricting and an alleged scandal involving his wife on his campaign payroll. I have a home in Scottsdale that was formerly in Hayworth's district.
Allen could have been stronger on immigration issues. Many of us advised him to do so, but he tried to be too politically correct. He could have garnered more support in NoVA if he had done so. The "macaca" remark that the WP kept going for almost two months on a daily basis was the difference along with a poorly run campaign. He should have won going away.