(NPB) Daily Pilot: Immigration likely part of future races

[question everything]

Published November 2, 2005

Immigration likely part of future races

Political scientist says issue isn't a major factor yet; for some candidates, it's a hot topic now.

By Alicia Robinson, Daily Pilot

Once Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist jumped into the 48th Congressional District race, illegal immigration became a standard talking point.

With state Sen. John Campbell leading in the contest to replace former Rep. Chris Cox, some potential candidates to fill Campbell's Senate seat -- should it open up -- expect to discuss the immigration issue as part of their campaigns.

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"We saw that private citizens under the Minutemen could control the borders," Harkey said. "We don't have either the capacity or the will to do it at the federal level." Shea said she thinks immigration should be a concern for anyone serving the state, but she disagreed that it's a big factor in the potential Senate race. "Clearly it's a federal issue," she said. "The funding for patrolling our borders is based at the federal level.... I don't see that as a major focus in our campaign."

(snip)

In the congressional race, some were looking at voters' response to illegal immigration as a barometer of how important the issue is to core GOP voters. Some politicos don't think immigration is a critical issue in Orange County, but it's still expected to crop up in future elections.

UC Irvine political scientist Louis DeSipio said what happens in the Dec. 6 congressional general election -- when Campbell faces Gilchrist and three other candidates -- will indicate how important immigration will be in a subsequent state Senate race.


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* ALICIA ROBINSON covers government and politics. She may be reached at [phone] or by e-mail at [email protected].

http://www.dailypilot.com/politics/story/28723p-41558c.html