Republican Wins Special Election on Anti-Immigrant Platform
Brian Bilbray, running against comprehensive immigration reform and for the type of punitive and anti-immigrant measures found in the House Republicans' bill, won a special election last night in California's 50th Congressional District. Despite the Republican National Committee's rhetoric about its outreach to the Hispanic community, the national Republican Party dumped millions of dollars into getting Bilbray elected and RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman issued a statement in the early dawn praising Bilbray for his victory, citing Bilbray's position on "border security and immigration reform" as having made the "difference in the race." [RNC Press Release, 6/7/2006]
Democratic National Committee Spokesman Luis Miranda issued the following statement:
"Brian Bilbray's victory in California was a victory for the anti-immigrant extremist Republican leadership in the House of Representatives. Ken Mehlman's belief that Bilbray's position on immigration and border security was the key to victory confirms that the Republican Party will continue to try to scapegoat immigrants to win elections in 2006.
"Together, America can do better. Democrats will continue to fight against the scapegoating of any group of people in America, and for comprehensive immigration reform that's tough and smart. Democrats have consistently fought for immigration reform that strengthens our borders, protects U.S. workers and their wages, reunites families and allows hard-working immigrants who pay taxes and obey the law the opportunity to earn the right to apply for the responsibilities of citizenship."
Bilbray Credits Anti-Immigrant Position For His Victory. On CNN, Brian Bilbray said that "in fact it wasn't until I was able to highlight the fact that I did not agree with my friends in the senate or my friend in the White House on amnesty that you really saw the polls start supporting me strongly." [CNN, 6/7/2006]
Bilbray Complained National Guard Not Checking Documents At Home Depot. "'There is a shell game going on here, with the President saying, 'Let's take all these people and put them on the border,' but he is not talking about allowing Border Patrol agents to come up and check documents at the Home Depot,' [Bilbray] said." [North County Times, 5/18/2006]
Bilbray Has Worked For Anti-Immigrant Group. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, "since his departure from Congress [Bilbray] has worked on behalf of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a conservative group that wants to limit both legal and illegal immigration. In short, Bilbray is a hard-liner on illegal immigration, in keeping with the stringent enforcement measure passed by the House." [San Diego Union-Tribune, 5/17/2006]
