Republicans' Internecine Wars

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The Wall Street Journal

Republicans' Internecine Wars

Immigration Debate In Arizona Primary Could Imperil House Seat
By SARAH LUECK
September 7, 2006; Page A6

TUCSON, Ariz. -- As Republican leaders work to retain control of Congress, a number of primaries around the country are pitting their party's conservative base against its moderates. One such fight can be found in this socially moderate border district, where the National Republican Congressional Committee has spent more than $200,000 to help Steve Huffman -- a state representative who favors abortion rights and federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research -- win Tuesday's primary. But a recent poll of likely primary voters showed Mr. Huffman lagging in the five-candidate race behind Randy Graf, a socially conservative candidate who has advanced by taking a hard line on immigration.

Mr. Huffman warns that a Graf primary victory means that in November, his party could lose the seat held for 22 years by departing Republican Rep. Jim Kolbe. "This district is not going to elect an extreme candidate like Randy Graf," Mr. Huffman says. Mr. Graf, a former state representative and golf pro, says only a candidate with a security-focused immigration position can keep the seat in Republican hands. He says Mr. Huffman was "handpicked" by the Washington political establishment at a time when many voters are dissatisfied with the status quo. "I am the anti-establishment guy," says Mr. Graf.

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In Rhode Island, Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee faces a strong primary challenge from Cranston Mayor Steve Laffey, aided by the Club for Growth. The economic-conservative advocacy group is trying to punish the incumbent for opposing some of President Bush's tax cuts -- even as the National Republican Senatorial Committee has backed Mr. Chafee, arguing Mr. Laffey couldn't win the heavily Democratic state in November. Beyond the specific seats at stake, the intraparty primary fights could bode ill for Republicans in the general election, signaling disaffection among conservatives who may be less inclined to turn out in November. Democrats, too, have had their share of internal challenges from the left, most notably Ned Lamont's victory in the Connecticut senatorial primary last month after attacking incumbent Joseph Lieberman over supporting the Iraq war. But those fights tend to be in places that are safely Democratic. Republican leaders fear that in many of their battles, a more conservative candidate could lose.

The irony in Arizona is that Mr. Graf's success comes in part by taking the same security-only immigration stance that many House Republicans have staked out -- and by arguing that Mr. Huffman is soft on the issue. Mr. Graf would be right at home with House Republicans who railed against illegal immigration during field hearings over the summer. Like them, Mr. Graf backs increased border security and workplace enforcement, and opposes new guest-worker programs and amnesty for illegal immigrants.

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[Cobalt-60]

1. There must be a way

to spray high octane American gasoline on this fire.