Fighting Immigration Didn't Help at the Polls in Virginia

Photo: Andrea Erazo - Chicago, March 10, 2006







After all the screaming and insultive remarks, Virginia Republicans found that people are not as interested in fighting immigration as they thought. This I believe, backs up what I have said earlier, that all this anti-immigration talk is only from a few who make it look really big - like those few that sent the 1,000 faxes and emails to the Senate during the last round of voting on the DREAM ACT.

It also gives me hope that most Americans are not brimming with the hate Lou Dobbs says we have. This should be a very good warning to the presidential candidates. An article in the Huffington Post - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/11/06/with-sights-on-iowa-edwa_n_71337.html- notes that Edwards has recently moved to the right on the immigration issue - which kind of surprised me. I thought he was a compassionate man, but apparently his managers decided he would have a better chance if he sounded tough on immigrants. Its unfortunate because now it puts doubt in what Edwards is all about.

Richardson of course has remained with the issue all along. Obama seems to be heading that way-- and Clinton goes back and forth. We'll see if the rest learned any lessons from this.

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In the Ballot Booths, No Fixation on Immigration
By Amy Gardner
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 7, 2007; A01



Voters across Virginia chose candidates in state and local elections yesterday not out of anger over illegal immigration but based on party affiliation, a preference for moderation and strong views on such key issues as residential growth and traffic congestion.

With a few notable exceptions, the trend benefited Democrats and not those who campaigned the loudest for tough sanctions against illegal immigrants.

Fairfax County continued its transformation into solid Democratic territory, with as many as five legislative seats poised to fall out of Republican control. In Loudoun County, Democrats who campaigned on a promise to slow residential growth took over the county board. Even in Prince William County, where the board's chairman, Corey L. Stewart (R), won easily on a vow to crack down against illegal immigrants, the volatile issue was tempered by the victory of state Sen. Charles J. Colgan (D-Manassas), who had been painted as soft on the issue.

The returns provided the sharpest evidence yet that Democratic gains in recent state elections represented more than a temporary dip in Republicans' popularity. Yesterday's initial results showed that a more long-term structural realignment may be occurring and that voters are increasingly drawn by Democrats' promises to improve schools and ease traffic and away from Republican conservatism on such issues as taxes and social policy, particularly in fast-growing Northern Virginia.

"I did not think that immigration in and of itself would carry the day," said Sen. Richard L. Saslaw (Fairfax), who would become majority leader under Democratic control. "The results are proving that, while immigration is a concern to people -- and it should be -- it is not returning the votes that they thought that it would."

Greg Blevins, a 17-year resident of Prince William, might have been a typical voter deciding yesterday's crucial contests. Although concerned about enforcement of immigration law, Blevins said he voted for both Democrats and Republicans because his main concerns also include roads and schools, for which he is willing to pay higher taxes. "I want to see tax money spent where it is raised," he said.

The most significant impact of yesterday's results will be in the state Senate, where power will shift dramatically to Northern Virginia. Colgan is in line to become chairman of the Finance Committee, gaining the power to increase spending for Northern Virginia colleges and universities, hospitals, roads, cultural institutions and more. Other regional lawmakers are in line to lead committees, making them able to set the agenda on such topics as controlling development, redrawing political district lines after the next census and recalculating school aid formulas to benefit the region...





for complete article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/07/AR2007110700108.html
photo: http://www.thirdcoastpress.com/images/m10_photogallery.jpg