Mack's Immigration Stance a Major Primary Problem

By Josh Kraushaar  //  October 27, 2011 | 11:07 a.m.
Updated: October 31, 2011 | 8:10 a.m.

Rep. Connie Mack's entrance into the Florida Senate campaign will give political pundits another chance to see how potent an issue immigration will be within a Republican primary. Mack, who changed course and jumped into the campaign last night, is viewed as a leading candidate given the Republican field's fundraising struggles and his brand-name in Florida politics (his father, Connie Mack III, served two terms in the Senate from the Sunshine State.)

But he's been a strident critic of Arizona's crackdown on illegal immigration, even comparing the law to Nazi Gestapo tactics during World War II. If Rick Perry's support sunk in the presidential primary because he considered opponents "heartless" for opposing in-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants, imagine the damage those comments could cause Mack in a Republican primary.

Immigration has been a very delicate issue for Republicans, even those inclined to take a more moderate approach. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who has touted his Cuban-American heritage as a candidate and senator, has tacked right on the issue. Rep. Jeff Flake, who is running for the Senate in Arizona, once co-sponsored a bill with liberal Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill. giving illegal immigrants a path to citizenship. Now he's stressing his border security bona fides. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., repositioned himself as an immigration hawk to fend off a primary challenge last year from former Rep. J.D. Hayworth.

That's made it difficult for Florida Republicans: They need to appeal to the GOP base in a primary but can't risk alienating Hispanic voters -- especially the largely Puerto Rican bloc around the I-4 corridor -- who are crucial in winning general elections. Mack's major primary opposition is coming from former Sen. George LeMieux and former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner. LeMieux has been under fire from the right for his close ties to former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who left the Republican party last year. Hasner has been rallying support with conservatives, but has struggled with fundraising and still lags in early polls.

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