Gordon Smith on Immigration

Jeff Alworth

The interesting things you receive when you're signed up to the GOP listserv.  This came in yesterday, apparently an effort to soothe the base and affirm the Senator's border bona fides:

[Senator Gordon H. Smith] voted to require 370 miles of triple-layered fencing along the border at strategic locations as well as 500 miles of vehicle barriers. He also supported amendments that would require all border security enhancements to be made before any guest worker program or other immigration status changes go into effect.

Senator Smith voted to make English the official language of the United States and he opposed an amendment that weakened its status. Finally, Senator Smith fought to prevent illegal aliens from counting their unauthorized work history toward qualifying for Social Security.

Senator Smith is working for a stronger border and immigration reform that makes sense.

Earlier this week, BlueOregon noted that Smith's popularity appears to be sliding (even while Ron Wyden's soars)--but is immigration the peg on which he wishes to hang his hat of popularity?  As the bill moves into conference, it will be interesting to see how Smith plays the issue.  All Oregonians--not just those on the GOP listserv--should watch closely.

By Jeff Alworth May 25, 2006