Looking Past McCain on Immigration

Politico: Few expect John McCain to pick up the torch again for immigration reform, especially since the Arizona senator took such a hard right turn on the issue to beat back a conservative primary challenge from J.D. Hayworth this week. But Hispanic- and immigration-rights activists say McCain isn’t the only senator who could serve as the Republican standard-bearer for immigration reform. For one, they haven’t given up on Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who endorsed a reform plan this year but recently caused a national uproar after saying the children of illegal immigrants should not receive birthright citizenship under the Constitution. Activists also are continuing to court Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.), who replaced the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, the liberal stalwart who had partnered with McCain on a failed 2007 reform package that included a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants in the U.S.