Wall Street Journal
By Beth Reinhard
May 7, 2014
The
U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a rare ad Tuesday calling Rep. Mike
Coffman, a Colorado Republican “a leader to fix our broken immigration
system with bipartisan
reform that secures the border and grows the economy.”
Most
Republicans – including Mr. Coffman in past elections — tend to
emphasize the border security component and omit the economic impact
when they talk about overhauling
immigration law.
But
last year, Mr. Coffman, who replaced immigration hardliner Tom Tancredo
in Congress, reversed his position and said he favored a pathway to
legal status for immigrants
in the country illegally, as well as citizenship for their children.
Mr. Coffman’s suburban Denver district is 20% Hispanic, and he’s widely
considered among the most vulnerable House Republican incumbents. The
district – won twice by President Barack Obama
– is at the top of national Democrats’ target list.
One
big reason a comprehensive immigration overhaul has lagged in the
Republican-led House is that few members feel serious pressure from
constituents. Although the Hispanic
population is booming nationwide, redistricting has increased the
non-Hispanic white share of the average Republican House district.
(In
the one district where immigration was an issue in a GOP primary, Rep.
Renee Ellmers of North Carolina on Tuesday defeated a challenger who
opposed granting undocumented
immigrants legal status.)
Mr.
Coffman’s opponent, Andrew Romanoff, the former speaker of the Colorado
House, is touting his support for immigration reform, and citing Mr.
Coffman’s record.
Romanoff
spokeswoman Denise Baron said in response to the ad that Mr. Coffman
“has voted against immigration reform at every turn, and no amount of
special-interest money
can erase his record.” She said Mr. Romanoff “supports a comprehensive
immigration reform bill,” and has “endorsed the bipartisan Senate bill
and has called on Speaker [John] Boehner to allow a vote on that bill in
the House.”
For more information, go to: www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com
No comments:
Post a Comment