Arizona Candidates: Voters Now Concerned with Economy, Jobs

ARIZONA REPUBLIC

By Mary Jo Pitzl and Alia Beard Rau

June 30, 2012

http://tucsoncitizen.com/arizona-news/2012/06/30/arizona-candidates-voters-now-concerned-with-economy-jobs/

Senate Bill 1070 was the hot ticket for legislative candidates two years ago.

This year, it's lost much of its luster, eclipsed by wider concerns about the economy, jobs and now, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned three provisions and opened the door for one to go into effect.

Once lower courts lift an injunction on the provision, the law will require police officers to ask about a persons immigration status if it is practical to do so and there is reasonable suspicion the person is in the country illegally. But a federal order issued shortly after the high-court ruling undercuts its impact by suspending the authority of local police to effectively act as immigration agents.

Federal directives also make it clear only dangerous criminals will be deported, many say.

All of which leaves little for a member of the Legislature to do if he or she wanted to revive SB 1070 and turn up the heat on people who may be here illegally.

"There's not much I can do in the state Legislature because the Supreme Court has said it's a federal issue," said Rep. David Smith, R-Carefree.

"If they ask me what immigration policies are you going to introduce, I'll say, 'None,'" he said of constituents in his north Valley district. "At least not until there's a change in the presidency," he added.

Last week's actions clearly make Congress the go-to place for immigration reform, say candidates and political observers.

"This is our problem, but the solution belongs to them (Congress)," said Rep. Tom Chabin, D-Flagstaff.

He said people like U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. and U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., "need to grow a spine and get something done to curb the immigration problem."

"Meanwhile," he said, "state legislators would be well-advised to recite the Serenity Prayer when it comes to immigration."

"It asks for serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

Focus on jobs, economy

SB 1070 does have a place in local campaigns, although its intensity will vary with the district and the candidate match-up.

"People who think they are benefited by the Supreme Court's decision are going to tout it," said Northern Arizona University politics professor Zachary Smith.

But he doubts it will have much of an impact, given the relatively low number of competitive legislative districts.

Take the new Legislative District 12, for example.

Three Republicans are running for two House spots in the district, which covers Gilbert, Queen Creek and parts of the far southeast Valley. The winners of the GOP primary will take their seats in the Arizona House, since there are no candidates from other parties running.

All three support SB 1070.

"I don't think it will make a big difference in our race," said Warren Petersen, who is running on a ticket with incumbent Rep. Eddie Farnsworth, R-Gilbert. The real solution is at the federal level.

Larry Chesley, the third House candidates, agrees.

"In our debates, people have asked us how we felt about (SB) 1070, and we all felt the same (supportive) way," he said.

Chesley said issues like taxes, jobs and the economy take precedence over immigration woes.

"Right now, feeding my family is important," he said, voicing voter concerns.

A shadow of 2010

Even in competitive races, SB 1070 is a shadow of its robust 2010 self. Back then, it was used to paint all Democrats as open-border supporters who agreed with the call by Congressman Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., to boycott the state. Those claims were false.

The bill's sponsor, former state Sen. Russell Pearce, doesn't prominently mention the bill or court ruling on his campaign website. And when he does, his message is similar to that of other candidates.

"For now, there is little more that Arizona can do to deal with this problem," Pearce said, after recapping the anti-illegal-immigration measures the Legislature has passed. "But we can and must keep the pressure on the federal government."

Pearce is running against businessman Bob Worsley to reclaim the seat he lost in a recall election last fall.

Worsley strikes a similar tone.

"(The) U.S. Supreme Court ruling confirmed that illegal-immigration policy will remain largely in the hands of the federal government," he states on his campaign website.

Neither campaign could be reached.

Bill Scheel, who is working on the House campaigns of several Democrats, said the courts ruling spelled the end of SB 1070 as a galvanizing issue.

"Although candidates will probably use the bill to define where they stand on immigration, voters aren't very interested in issues a candidate can't do anything about," Scheel said. "They want to know where a candidate can make a difference."

In the competitive race for an open state Senate seat in northern Arizona, the candidates are not loading up on SB 1070 ammunition.

Voters aren't demanding it, at least not yet.

"No one mentioned it, no one raised it," Chabin said of his encounters with voters.

"Rather, they want to talk about education."

Chabin is running against Rep. Chester Crandell, R-Heber, for an open seat.

Crandell said while voters are concerned about immigration, it's not on the top of their minds.

"(SB) 1070 was probably two or three (items) down the list," he said of voter topics. "Everyone is concerned about jobs, the economy."

Motivating the voters

Although last week's actions clearly make Congress the go-to place for immigration reform, local candidates and political observers say SB 1070 can still play a role in their campaigns.

"There's enough left of SB 1070 to motivate voters, particularly Hispanic voters," said political polling expert Michael ONeil of Tempe-based ONeil Associates.

"But it's tenuous, given the lackluster turnout of Latino voters in past elections."

"There needs to be boots on the street and actual organizing activities to pull that off," ONeil said. "Historically it's been talked about over and over, and historically it doesn't happen. There is a chance this time that it will be different."

Chad Willems, who advises Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and is running the campaigns of a few GOP legislative candidates, said the greater motivation could come from the suspension of federal authority under section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act for local police agencies to act as immigration agents.

"That has now kind of rallied the base," Willems said, "since it saps the muscle behind the stops authorized by the intact portion of SB 1070."

"While he said he will advise candidates to press that issue, I don't have anything strategic in mind at this point."