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ICYMI: CBS News Poll & Analysis — The Tides ARE Turning for Immigration Reform in the House

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Support From Across Spectrum, Money and Polling Favor Proponents; Opposition is a “Paper Tiger”

A CBS News headline asks “Are the tides turning for immigration reform in the House?” and then lists numerous reasons why those who support broad immigration reform have the strong upper hand:

It was only a week ago when prospects for the House passing broad immigration reform seemed dim.  However, after hearing this week from House Republicans – not including Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa – and looking at new polling data, it seems that the tides may be turning.

Addressing the notion of immigration opposition funding primary challenges, a top Republican working to pass immigration reform told CBS News that reports of powerful and moneyed opposition to reform have been overblown.

“There’s a false sense of the weight of the opposition,” he said, adding that he thinks the opposition “is a paper tiger.”…

…The money appears to be on the side of the supporters of reform ,and supporters believe the opposition won’t have the kind of money needed to run serious challenges against House Republicans who support reform. Additionally, one of the biggest outside Republican groups that has previously been engaged in Republican primaries, the Club for Growth, hasn’t taken a position on immigration reform, and instead is focused on spending and health care…

…Meanwhile the latest CBS News poll showed conservative opposition to reform and to a path to citizenship is not really materializing.  Much as they did this spring, seven in ten conservatives are willing to accept a ‘path to citizenship’ for undocumented immigrants with conditions.  They’re not as supportive as liberals, but they’re mostly supportive nonetheless.  A critical part of the GOP base, evangelical Christians, also support a path to citizenship (75 percent) taking cues from some of the community’s leadership – which may further inoculate House members.  And a poll released last week by a Republican pro-reform group interviewed Republican primary voters specifically, and also found willingness to accept a path to citizenship, and not much fervor for opposition.  ‘A solid 65 percent majority of Republicans support a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants if it is coupled with substantially increased border security,’ according to the poll by Americans for a Conservative Direction.