California Win Masks the Real Issues

According to conservatives, the Republican win in the California 50th District, which replaced former congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham, justifies their position on illegal immigration.

They called the election results a clear repudiation of the Senate bill on immigration, which would offer 11 million illegal aliens in the US what amounts to amnesty. With Bush's low ratings, the victory is a rebuke against the President's "guest-worker" program which would handle the problem of current illegal aliens living in the country.

Mr. Gingrich goes along and says that "fighting to control the border and defend the American people on illegal immigration (the House position) really works. Amnesty (the Senate bill) was clearly repudiated by Republican voters."

The White House immediately downplayed the results in California's strongly Republican district. It proves rightly so. Such one-issue campaigns masks the other important domestic and international issues that are currently facing us. It is very likely that this immigration subject plus tv coverage of the protests and illegals attempting to enter the country are influencing most voters on who to vote for. It is also partly the fault of the Democratic candidate for her "no-paper" comments, but I think that Republicans took advantage of the slip-up and use it to put fear into their base of supporters.

Fortunately, the special election is only meant to serve out Cunningham's remaining seven months. The winner, Mr. Bilbray, will face off again in November. Perhaps by that time, the results may turn out the same on a different set of issues, or maybe not.

Washington Times - California win seen as rebuff of illegals