Only 8 percent of voters ranked immigration as their top issue

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/points/stories/DN-chavez_12edi.ART.State.Edition1.3e28364.html

Linda Chavez: Few voters ranked immigration as top issue

02:51 PM CST on Sunday, November 12, 2006

Iraq was clearly the election issue that turned the tide against Republicans, but one issue that many GOP activists thought might save the day ended up a bust: immigration. snip

In Colorado, Republicans' anti-immigrant stance may have cost them the governor's race in addition to one congressional seat. Rep. Bob Beauprez, the Republican who gave up his seat to run for governor, hammered away on the issue. But Colorado's agricultural economy is heavily dependent on immigrant workers (including illegal aliens), and Democrat Bill Ritter's pro-guest-worker position helped him win. snip

According to an Election Day poll by Republican pollster Ed Goeas and Democratic pollster Doug Schoen, only 8 percent of voters ranked immigration as their top issue. Americans want a secure border, but a majority supports comprehensive reform to stopping illegal immigration.

[w4rma]

1. Imho, the illegal immigration issue helped Democrats win. Folks saw that Republicans weren't willing

to do anything about illegal immigration, except blow hot air. And Democrats have been talking more about actually doing something about the reason that illegals cross the border: the companies that are hiring illegals which drive down the wages of everyone.

[ananda]

2. I've always thought..

.. the immigration issue was something of an artificial creation.

[Auggie]

3. Wonder why their research was so off?

[SoCalDem]

4. People finally have started to recognize the bloody shirt issues

Republicans figured out long ago that they must always rile up their "base".. It's telling that they call them "the base", because they traditional ARE "base"..

The issues they use always appeal to racism, fear, greed & hatred. And immigration takes in all four :(