2008 Woodie Awards
Immigration concerns voters
Dean Treftz - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 9/5/07 Section: Metro
- Page 1 of 1
Immigration has screamed to the forefront of political priorities among Iowa independents in the past several months, according to a recent poll run by UI students and faculty.
Conducted in late July and early August, the poll recorded a huge surge in independent voters identifying immigration as "very important" since a previous poll taken in April.
While independents' focus on immigration grew the most, both Democrats and Republicans saw immigration as more important as well. Currently, 58 percent of Republicans, 47 percent of independents, and 43 percent of Democrats consider immigration "very important," according to the poll.
Under the direction of David Redlawsk, a UI political-science associate professor, UI graduate students James Rydberg and Howard Sanborn and undergraduate Brigid Freymuller conducted the poll.
Republicans, typically the more vocal opponents of illegal immigration, more often supported stricter measures like deportation, while Democrats were more likely to respond in favor of allowing illegals currently in the country to work their way towards becoming citizens.
Already a contentious issue, immigration splashed across headlines in the late spring and early summer as the Senate considered an immigration-reform bill. The legislation tried to address the large and growing number of illegal immigrants in the country by establishing a legal framework for illegals already in the country to stay.
Activists on both sides, especially conservatives, attacked the bill, and it eventually died.
"[The results aren't] surprising because certainly immigration has gotten a lot of attention on the Republican side," said UI political-science Professor Peverill Squire.
While he said there wasn't any single candidate who has gained a lot from the increased focus on immigration, Squire identified Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., as the trend's biggest loser.
McCain's relatively moderate stance on the issue, highlighted by his work on this year's bill, wins him few friends among the conservative Iowans he has to win over, Squire said.
Furthermore, those who were identified as more likely to go to the caucuses tended to feel even stronger - Republicans likely to attend the nominating event were even less likely to support a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants than merely registered Republicans. Democrats likely to go to the caucuses supported earned citizenship more than registered Democrats.
Immigration will definitely play a roll in the upcoming nominating process, but will likely still be around by 2008's November elections, Squire said.
"Given that we're not going to solve the immigration problem, it will probably still be an issue" in November 2008, he said.
E-mail DI reporter Dean Treftz at:
dean-treftz@uiowa.edu
Conducted in late July and early August, the poll recorded a huge surge in independent voters identifying immigration as "very important" since a previous poll taken in April.
While independents' focus on immigration grew the most, both Democrats and Republicans saw immigration as more important as well. Currently, 58 percent of Republicans, 47 percent of independents, and 43 percent of Democrats consider immigration "very important," according to the poll.
Under the direction of David Redlawsk, a UI political-science associate professor, UI graduate students James Rydberg and Howard Sanborn and undergraduate Brigid Freymuller conducted the poll.
Republicans, typically the more vocal opponents of illegal immigration, more often supported stricter measures like deportation, while Democrats were more likely to respond in favor of allowing illegals currently in the country to work their way towards becoming citizens.
Already a contentious issue, immigration splashed across headlines in the late spring and early summer as the Senate considered an immigration-reform bill. The legislation tried to address the large and growing number of illegal immigrants in the country by establishing a legal framework for illegals already in the country to stay.
Activists on both sides, especially conservatives, attacked the bill, and it eventually died.
"[The results aren't] surprising because certainly immigration has gotten a lot of attention on the Republican side," said UI political-science Professor Peverill Squire.
While he said there wasn't any single candidate who has gained a lot from the increased focus on immigration, Squire identified Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., as the trend's biggest loser.
McCain's relatively moderate stance on the issue, highlighted by his work on this year's bill, wins him few friends among the conservative Iowans he has to win over, Squire said.
Furthermore, those who were identified as more likely to go to the caucuses tended to feel even stronger - Republicans likely to attend the nominating event were even less likely to support a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants than merely registered Republicans. Democrats likely to go to the caucuses supported earned citizenship more than registered Democrats.
Immigration will definitely play a roll in the upcoming nominating process, but will likely still be around by 2008's November elections, Squire said.
"Given that we're not going to solve the immigration problem, it will probably still be an issue" in November 2008, he said.
E-mail DI reporter Dean Treftz at:
dean-treftz@uiowa.edu
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