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06/18/07 - A Pennsylvania Reader Explains the "Real" Cause of the Civil War

From:  Deena Flinchum [e-mail her]

Re: An Economist's Blog: Amnesty Loses for Republicans—Immigration Restriction Wins For Democrats

"An Economist" wrote:

"Two of the defeated Republicans (Graf, Hayworth) were in Arizona."

Indeed they were.

Graf ran in the 8th Congressional District which Rep. Jim Kolbe had held since 1984. Kolbe did not seek re-election.

Kolbe, who is gay, had a history of voting more liberal than conservative on social issues. Graf was hard right on a number of social issues, positions not likely to please a district socially liberal enough to elect a gay Congressman.

As for Hayworth in the 5th District, he had been tied to Jack Abramoff, a link  so toxic that it took out more Congressmen than Tony Soprano could have.

Neither Graf nor Hayworth's losses should be attributed to taking a strong stand on restricting immigration.

Joe Guzzardi comments: Flinchum, whose previous letters to VDARE.COM are here, makes a good point. But the biggest lesson of the Graf-Hayworth defeats is that immigration reform must be the number one issue at the polls. Had it been, Graf and Hayworth would be in office today instead of Democrats Gabrielle Giffords and Harry Mitchell. The former is terrible on immigration; the latter, above average.