Good riddance. Good decision by Utah voters.
Pro-amnesty crusader Chris Cannon, Republican congressman from Utah (motto: "We love immigrants in Utah. And we don't make the distinction very often between legal and illegal."), finally got his comeuppance Tuesday by losing a primary to Jason Chaffetz, who ran on, among other things, a hawkish immigration platform. This comes after two primary close calls against other challengers in 2004 and 2006. In this race, Cannon lost despite outraising Chaffetz nearly 7 to 1 and garnering the endorsement of President Bush. (On second thought, maybe that endorsement was part of the problem.)
When a challenger can win while getting outspent nearly 7 to 1 something has changed.
The weakening economy is going to increase the pressure to cut down on immigration, legal and illegal.
By Randall Parker at 2008 June 25 07:23 PM Immigration PolicyHopefully some all too smug one-worlders in the US Senate will learn from this, that even the safest seat can be upset. It has implications for the House, where some redistricted seats are as one-sided as Cannon's in their constituency profiles. You can outspend five or more to one, and be hugely more well-known, but if you can be painted as for the foreigner first, you're vulnerable.