A tough, Arizona-style anti-immigration bill in the Indiana state Legislature has put Gov. Mitch Daniels — who is mum on whether he backs it — on a collision course with tea party activists who see it as a big priority and could have national implications for the Indiana governor in a GOP presidential primary.
Daniels, who’s mulling a White House run in 2012 and won rave reviews for his CPAC speech last weekend, has yet to take a stand on legislation introduced by State Sen. Mike Delph that died under Democratic-controlled Legislatures in each of the last several years — but faces greatly improved odds of passing this time around.
The latest version of the measure creates tough enforcement provisions, requiring cops to ask for proof of immigration status if they have “reasonable” suspicion about someone they’ve stopped for an unrelated issue — like blowing a traffic light. It also creates strict penalties for employers of illegals.
And this year, the Indiana House of Representatives came under GOP control after a 2010 election shift — upping the chances that the legislation will pass and that Daniels, who’s made his reputation as a fiscal conservative, will end up having to take a stand on the thorny social issue.
Already, tea party activists — who are expected to be influential in the Republican primary process - are demanding Daniels show his cards and come out in support of the bill.
"Frankly, I think it separates him, the men from the boys, on whether he's going to make a stand on something that's important," said Lisa Deaton, founder of the tea party group We The People Indiana, who supports the measure known as SB 590.
"I believe [Daniels] should step up to the plate and say what he really believes. ... I think he needs to hold everyone to the law equally, there cannot be picking and choosing. I would expect him as governor or president to do exactly that."
Delph told POLITICO he hasn’t spoken to Daniels about the bill, but said, “Leadership requires decision-making. ... I think we have a real problem in the state of Indiana. Indiana has become a sanctuary state with regards to immigration.”
Mark Leyva, a Lake County tea party organizer, said, "[Daniels] may be in a different position because of the way he may think of issues he wants to stay from” — a reference to the governor’s controversial pitch last year for the GOP to stop fighting over divisive social issues....
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A tough, Arizona-style anti-immigration bill in the Indiana state Legislature has put Gov. Mitch Daniels — who is mum on whether he backs it — on a collision course with tea party activists who see it as a big priority and could have national implications for the Indiana governor in a GOP presidential primary.
ReplyDeleteDaniels, who’s mulling a White House run in 2012 and won rave reviews for his CPAC speech last weekend, has yet to take a stand on legislation introduced by State Sen. Mike Delph that died under Democratic-controlled Legislatures in each of the last several years — but faces greatly improved odds of passing this time around.
The latest version of the measure creates tough enforcement provisions, requiring cops to ask for proof of immigration status if they have “reasonable” suspicion about someone they’ve stopped for an unrelated issue — like blowing a traffic light. It also creates strict penalties for employers of illegals.
And this year, the Indiana House of Representatives came under GOP control after a 2010 election shift — upping the chances that the legislation will pass and that Daniels, who’s made his reputation as a fiscal conservative, will end up having to take a stand on the thorny social issue.
Already, tea party activists — who are expected to be influential in the Republican primary process - are demanding Daniels show his cards and come out in support of the bill.
"Frankly, I think it separates him, the men from the boys, on whether he's going to make a stand on something that's important," said Lisa Deaton, founder of the tea party group We The People Indiana, who supports the measure known as SB 590.
"I believe [Daniels] should step up to the plate and say what he really believes. ... I think he needs to hold everyone to the law equally, there cannot be picking and choosing. I would expect him as governor or president to do exactly that."
Delph told POLITICO he hasn’t spoken to Daniels about the bill, but said, “Leadership requires decision-making. ... I think we have a real problem in the state of Indiana. Indiana has become a sanctuary state with regards to immigration.”
Mark Leyva, a Lake County tea party organizer, said, "[Daniels] may be in a different position because of the way he may think of issues he wants to stay from” — a reference to the governor’s controversial pitch last year for the GOP to stop fighting over divisive social issues....
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/49484.html#ixzz1E37JY7VI