Immigration Could Be Perry’s Undoing in Texas

[babylonsister]

Immigration Could Be Perry’s Undoing in Texas
By Patrick Caldwell 6/22/10 6:53 PM


Public Policy Polling (PPP) posted an interesting follow-up to its poll showing Texas Gov. Rick Perry running tied with his Democratic opponent Bill White. PPP notes that White’s recent rise in the numbers against Perry has come largely from increasing Hispanic support:

When we polled the race in February Rick Perry led Bill White by 6 points. The race is tied now, and the movement since the previous poll has come completely with Hispanic voters. With white voters Perry led 54-35 then and leads 55-35 now. With black voters White led 81-12 then and leads 70-7 now. But with Hispanics Perry has gone from leading 53-41 in February to now trailing 55-21. And it’s not that the sample of Hispanic voters we interviewed for this poll was somehow fundamentally different from the previous one- Barack Obama’s approval with them on this poll was 49% compared to 47% on the previous Texas poll.

PPP’s poll was conducted between June 19th and 20th. A week prior, the state GOP held its convention, where it passed a party platform that included strongly anti-immigrant language, with no pathway to citizenship (not even through military service) and “a plank advocating for a state law that would bar illegal immigrants from ‘intentionally or knowingly’ living in Texas.”

Though Perry opposed the inclusion of the strict language, he appears to be paying the price of his party association — the consequence of a growing divide between elected Republican officials and their grassroots base. The Hill reported today on the pressure Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, faces to turn Arizona’s stringent immigration policies into a major campaign issue.

more...

http://washingtonindependent.com/88011/immigration-coul...

[alstephenson]

1. Perry and White are both speaking at the National Council of La Raza National Conference...

in San Antonio on July 12th. Should be interesting, to say the least!

[babylonsister]

2. Watch Perry cancel. Wouldn't surprise me; he won't debate

White either, from what I've read.

I hope White wins; he was mayor of Houston when Hurricane Ike hit, and he was very decent. I liked him.

[Ishoutandscream2]

5. Bill White is a good man

and he would wipe the floor with Good Hair.

[tammywammy]

6. I'll be shocked if Perry actually does speak there.

Very interesting indeed.

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. I wonder why White lost 10% of the black support.

[dkf]

7. Blacks can't compete with the low wages illegal immigrants will accept.

Nor can they be treated to substandard working conditions which people here illegally have to live with. A crooked employer will pick an illegal immigrant every time.

Even Moodys used a variation on this strategy. They would hire foreign students right out of college. Their inexperience made them malleable and if they lost their job they could be deported. Let's face it, an employer has a lot more leverage over someone here illegally.

[Liberal_in_LA]

4. I wonder why White lost 10% of the black support.