The issue of immigration reform is likely to be discussed in tonight’s debate between Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) and Republican Senate nominee Sharron Angle, which will be airing tonight, live, on C-SPAN starting at 9 p.m. Eastern time.
In a close race like this, Latino voters are poised to play a pivotal role in deciding the eventual outcome.
According to Lynn Tramonte, Deputy Director of America’s Voice:
Sharron Angle’s ugly immigration attack ads are deeply offensive and send a clear message to Latinos in Nevada: the Republican Party does not want your vote. With Latino voters comprising 12% of the electorate, that move could prove to be fatal for Angle. When it comes to the issue of immigration reform, Harry Reid gets it; Sharron Angle does not. Americans of all backgrounds want a comprehensive solution. Demonizing Latinos and opposing common sense immigration is not only bad politics, it’s bad for the nation.
Following are some resources on the politics of immigration and the Latino vote in Nevada:
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Harry Reid and Sharron Angle Are Diametrically Opposed on Immigration: Senate Majority Leader Reid is a strong advocate for immigration reform policies that are supported not only by Latino voters, but the broader electorate as well. Reid also was instrumental in bringing the DREAM Act up for Senate action in September. Meanwhile, Sharron Angle is adamantly opposed to common sense immigration reform and has attempted to prey upon fears and stereotypes in a series of attack ads. Even Tibi Ellis, the chairwoman of the Nevada Hispanic Republican Caucus and a spokesperson for Sharron Angle’s campaign, had strong criticism for Angle’s attacks on Reid, saying, “I condemned this type of propaganda, no matter who is running them.”
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Angle Doesn’t Get It: Majorities of Americans Support a Comprehensive Immigration Fix: As a roundup of recent polling demonstrates, most Americans and Nevadans are frustrated with the broken immigration system, but only some are angry at immigrants; most are fed-up with the federal government’s failure to solve the problem. They want their leaders to take bold action that ends illegal immigration, and the action they strongly prefer is a comprehensive approach that couples enforcement measures at the border and in the workplace with a program to register undocumented workers and get them on a path to full citizenship.
