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| Blocking immigration bill would doom 2016 hopes, says leading Republican | Blocking immigration bill would doom 2016 hopes, says leading Republican |
| (4 months later) | |
| Republicans are "in a demographic death spiral" and will fail in their efforts to win the presidency if the party blocks an immigration overhaul, a leading Republican senator said on Sunday. | Republicans are "in a demographic death spiral" and will fail in their efforts to win the presidency if the party blocks an immigration overhaul, a leading Republican senator said on Sunday. |
| The Senate last week overcame a procedural hurdle in moving forward on the first immigration reform in a generation. Lawmakers from both parties voted to begin formal debate on a proposal that would give an estimated 11 million immigrants who are in the US illegally a long and difficult path to citizenship. The legislation also creates a low-skilled guest-worker program, expands the number of visas available for high-tech workers and de-emphasizes family ties in the system for legal immigration that has been in place for decades. It also sets border security goals that the government must meet before immigrants living in the US illegally are granted any change in status. | The Senate last week overcame a procedural hurdle in moving forward on the first immigration reform in a generation. Lawmakers from both parties voted to begin formal debate on a proposal that would give an estimated 11 million immigrants who are in the US illegally a long and difficult path to citizenship. The legislation also creates a low-skilled guest-worker program, expands the number of visas available for high-tech workers and de-emphasizes family ties in the system for legal immigration that has been in place for decades. It also sets border security goals that the government must meet before immigrants living in the US illegally are granted any change in status. |
| Senator Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who helped write the bipartisan immigration bill now under debate in the Senate, said conservatives who are trying to block the measure will doom the party and all but guarantee a Democrat will remain in the White House after 2016's election. A Democrat also involved in developing the proposal, Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, went a step further and predicted "there'll never be a road to the White House for the Republican Party" if an immigration overhaul bill fails to pass. | Senator Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who helped write the bipartisan immigration bill now under debate in the Senate, said conservatives who are trying to block the measure will doom the party and all but guarantee a Democrat will remain in the White House after 2016's election. A Democrat also involved in developing the proposal, Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, went a step further and predicted "there'll never be a road to the White House for the Republican Party" if an immigration overhaul bill fails to pass. |
| Meanwhile, one of the proposal's authors who is considering such a White House campaign – Marco Rubio – refused again to pledge support for the measure without changes conservatives have demanded. Republicans are demanding tougher border security measures and stricter standards for who qualifies for government programs such as Social Security retirement benefits and health care. | Meanwhile, one of the proposal's authors who is considering such a White House campaign – Marco Rubio – refused again to pledge support for the measure without changes conservatives have demanded. Republicans are demanding tougher border security measures and stricter standards for who qualifies for government programs such as Social Security retirement benefits and health care. |
| "The vast majority of Americans, the vast majority of conservative Republicans are prepared to support immigration reform, but only if we can ensure that we're not going to have another wave of illegal immigration in the future," said Rubio, a Florida senator and potential 2016 presidential Republican contender. "I think 95, 96% of the bill is in perfect shape and ready to go. But there are elements that need to be improved." | "The vast majority of Americans, the vast majority of conservative Republicans are prepared to support immigration reform, but only if we can ensure that we're not going to have another wave of illegal immigration in the future," said Rubio, a Florida senator and potential 2016 presidential Republican contender. "I think 95, 96% of the bill is in perfect shape and ready to go. But there are elements that need to be improved." |
| Rubio, who refused to say if he'll vote for the measure he helped write unless changes are made, is trying to balance concerns from his party's conservative flank that has great sway in picking a presidential nominee with the political attempt to win over Hispanic and Asian American voters who overwhelmingly favored President Barack Obama's re-election in 2012. Further complicating Rubio's presidential aspirations, the Republican-led House is considering its own version of immigration proposals that more closely follow their own perspective, which hews toward supporters of the conservative Tea Party movement. | Rubio, who refused to say if he'll vote for the measure he helped write unless changes are made, is trying to balance concerns from his party's conservative flank that has great sway in picking a presidential nominee with the political attempt to win over Hispanic and Asian American voters who overwhelmingly favored President Barack Obama's re-election in 2012. Further complicating Rubio's presidential aspirations, the Republican-led House is considering its own version of immigration proposals that more closely follow their own perspective, which hews toward supporters of the conservative Tea Party movement. |
| In 2012, Obama won re-election with the backing of 71% of Hispanic voters and 73% of Asian voters. A thwarted immigration overhaul could send those voting blocs more solidly to the Democrats' side. That has led some Republican lawmakers to support immigration reform, but the party's conservative base still opposes any legislation that would create a pathway to citizenship for immigrants living here illegally. | In 2012, Obama won re-election with the backing of 71% of Hispanic voters and 73% of Asian voters. A thwarted immigration overhaul could send those voting blocs more solidly to the Democrats' side. That has led some Republican lawmakers to support immigration reform, but the party's conservative base still opposes any legislation that would create a pathway to citizenship for immigrants living here illegally. |
| "After eight years of President Obama's economic policies, and quite frankly foreign policy, people are going to be looking around," Graham said. "But if we don't pass immigration reform, if we don't get it off the table in a reasonable, practical way, it doesn't matter who you run in 2016. We're in a demographic death spiral as a party and the only way we can get back in good graces with the Hispanic community in my view is pass comprehensive immigration reform. If you don't do that, it really doesn't matter who we run in my view." | "After eight years of President Obama's economic policies, and quite frankly foreign policy, people are going to be looking around," Graham said. "But if we don't pass immigration reform, if we don't get it off the table in a reasonable, practical way, it doesn't matter who you run in 2016. We're in a demographic death spiral as a party and the only way we can get back in good graces with the Hispanic community in my view is pass comprehensive immigration reform. If you don't do that, it really doesn't matter who we run in my view." |
| Graham spoke on NBC's Meet the Press', while Menendez was interviewed on CNN's State of the Union. Rubio was on ABC's This Week. | Graham spoke on NBC's Meet the Press', while Menendez was interviewed on CNN's State of the Union. Rubio was on ABC's This Week. |
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