Michael Bennet Helped By Arizona Immigration Law: Public Policy Polling

While polls have shown Arizona's controversial new immigration laws to be popular nationwide, the effects of the laws on electoral politics will be be far less clear cut, says Public Policy Polling (PPP).

In Colorado, for example, Colorado Senator Michael Bennet gained 3 points over possible Republican challenger Jane Norton in PPP's polling from March to May. One of the most significant factors in Bennet's gain was a shift in Hispanic voters, with whom the Democrat jumped out to a 21-point advantage in May, up from 12 points in March.

PPP has found Hispanic voters in the Mountain West trending more strongly Democratic since the passage of the Arizona immigration law in late April.

Bennet was appointed in 2008 to replace former Senator Ken Salazar, one of the few Latinos in the Senate at the time. However, he has struggled to gain widespread support among Hispanic voters. PPP's March poll found him trailing his Democratic challenger, Andrew Romanoff, 42%-32% among voters who identify as Hispanic.

The Arizona immigration laws require legal immigrants to carry paperwork at all times, and allow law enforcement to investigate anyone they deem suspicious of being in the country illegally. They have been called racist and unconstitutional by critics throughout the country.

PPP notes that the ultimate electoral effects of the Arizona laws will hinge on "whether there are white voters who are going to go Republican this fall who wouldn't have if that bill hadn't been passed."

Comments

[MStell]

08:31 AM on 05/30/2010

Suggesting a link between Bennet's re-election prospects and Arizona's immigration law is a curious play.
At a glance - the two issues diverge significantly on one key aspect: Arizona's law concerns the soverignity of the states - can states act "in step" with settled federal law when the federal government has failed; Bennet is a concerning political case study - his appointment was not an expression of his state's interests and on issue after issue he stands in out spoken solidarity with the non representative faction of the national democratic party - the faction that seems to, issue after issue, ignore and oppose the interests of the majority of Americans, the majority of Coloradoans.
His tone deafness, in particular, is breathtaking.

[amaboss52]

03:39 PM on 05/27/2010

Bennett voted with the big banks against us, I will never vote for him or Udall again, EVER.

[PeterFisk]

02:49 PM on 05/25/2010

Still no response from HuffPost on why this story focuses exclusively on Bennet instead of taking a fair and accurate look at both Dem candidates and how they might be affected by reaction to the Arizona law.

Is HuffPost-Denver working directly out of the Bennet campaign office? Sure seems like it. HuffPost-Denver is apparently taking its marching orders straight from the D.C. Corporate Dem establishment.

How is HuffPost-Denver any better than Fox News?

[LastStar]

09:01 AM on 05/25/2010

Unintended consequences are the "child" of simple solutions.... the hallmark of low-brow wingers. Just say no, abstinence only, no child left behind, less regulation....etc. etc.

[Jennyferr]

06:31 AM on 05/25/2010

I came across a good debating resource that allows you to post comments and cast votes either for or against the New Immigration Law of Arizona without prior registration. I really recommend it: http://www.civiltalks.com

[Icantbelieveher]

12:35 AM on 05/25/2010

Bennett may be up in the polls against Norton, but neither will be running in November. It will be Romanoff against the teabagger Buck -- and Romanoff will win!

[Bouldergeist]

04:49 AM on 05/25/2010

Colorado's Mayflower Madam is bereft of talent: Sarah Palin, without the looks. Her campaign has been imploding for months. Ken Buck is the "Washington insider" with no known ties to Washington, whereas Norton has never held an honest job in her life. In a year where being a lobbyist is a bad thing, Norton is saddled with the fact that her family business is lobbying, and that she is even pim.p.ing out her daughter (but she's never been a lobbyist).

Buck hasn't staked out any Rand Paul-class positions, and he's even pledged to be a one-term Senator. With the Wiens endorsement, and Tidwell having essentially no chance to petition on to the ballot, I don't see her having a chance.

[Bouldergeist]

05:15 AM on 05/25/2010

Intrade futures show the Republican chances of reclaiming that seat at about 60%, and that is a fair assessment from my perspective. If it is Astroturf Bennet against Insurgent Buck, and Bennet is saddled with his position on immigration (which is not popular among Coloradans outside of La Raza), I don't see him winning. Romanoff v. Norton? Jane Norton is toxic waste in high heels, and has the intelligence of a common garden implement.

[prairiejeri]

11:59 PM on 05/24/2010

All I know is Bennet is a co-sponsor of the DREAM Act while Romanoff presided over the infamous 2006 special session, where immigration was the subject of the session. During the session, the legislature violated the rule of never pandering to people who aren't going to vote for you anyway and passed laws with unintended consequences (while bragging about passing the toughest immigration laws in the nation). Additionally, Bennet is doing a good job in the Senate, and he will get my vote in August. Having said that, if Romanoff wins the primary, I will support him.

[Icantbelieveher]

12:37 AM on 05/25/2010

Bennett is a conservadem who only found liberalism when he was faced with a challenger! He voted against the people with cramdown and did nothing but write a letter about the public option for health care!

Romanoff will win the primary, because Coloradoans know that he has worked for the people his entire career! Bennett, only when he's faced with a challenger!

[Bouldergeist]

04:51 AM on 05/25/2010

Bennet is Astroturf personified. He was hand-picked by Silverado Swindler Larry Mizel and his cronies, and he has already paid off Mizel with a $300,000 earmark for a clearly frivolous neo-con "terrorism exhibit" at the Denver Museum.

Romanoff is a decent guy with some semblance of principles.

[bgoodric]

11:57 PM on 05/24/2010

Shouldn't the summary be that the _Democrats_ in Colorado are benefitting from the backlash against AZ's idiotic law? It'll help Romanoff against the Republican candidate, if Romanoff wins the primary over Bennet, as many of us Coloradans are hoping.

[Bouldergeist]

04:53 AM on 05/25/2010

What's idiotic about enforcement of immigration law? We can't afford this horde of carpetbaggers -- they are a massive net drain on public resources, they degrade the wage base, and they leave too many of our own people unemployed. They should be sent home, and yesterday.

[legalaid]

10:22 PM on 05/24/2010

I am a Colorado independent who leans Democratic, but I will vote against Bennett if he does not support the AZ law. He may gain Hispanics, but he will lose white voters, and there are still more of us.

[Sharon Hanson]

11:03 PM on 05/24/2010

I'm very curious about this. Why do you think a law such as the AZ law is going to do anything, anything at all to stem the flow of illegal immigrants into AZ?

As long as there are corporations that want undocumented workers so that they can pay slave wages we will have illegal immigration into our country. The only way to stem the flow is to go after corporations. This is irrefutable and anyone who says otherwise has not done their homework. So why do you want to go after other human beings like you and me that just want a better life and not the greedy corporations that are killing us with pesticides and oil spills and killing our soldiers through electrocutions and poisoned water (think Halliburton)? I truly don’t understand and if you would take this question seriously I would like to hear your explanation.

[jbeeaz]

12:01 AM on 05/25/2010

Good questions Sharon. IMHO, the only deterrent to illegal border crossers fro HB 1070, is fear based because the law basically allows 'any' LEO in any situation, without cause, just a suspicion, demand that a person with brown skin provide 'papers' proving that they are a legal resident and makes it illegal for 'them' to not have their 'papers' with them. The bill was basically written by an out-of-state uber-conservative attorney and submitted by GOP Rep Russell Pearce, an uber-Neocon of questionable cognition that has a history of questionable legislative initiatives. Lot a reasons why it passed, but AZ STILL prefers illegal’s sweeps rather than employer investigations. My best guess – businesses contribute $$ to the GOP and illegal’s don’t vote. The Rove method - use a wedge issue, lie about it, play on the base's fears, lie more about the methodology.

[Bouldergeist]

05:04 AM on 05/25/2010

Sharon: "As long as there are corporations that want undocumented workers so that they can pay slave wages we will have illegal immigration into our country. The only way to stem the flow is to go after corporations."

Ken Buck actually has a coherent plan for this, and has pledged to attempt to do something about it. The problem with e-Verify is that you can have one person using a Social in Alaska and another in Florida, and no one knows about it. If you link them all to a central database and give access to ICE, it becomes effective.

[Turtleposer]

12:05 AM on 05/25/2010

While mostly Hispanic people will be affected by the AZ law, even white folks can potentially be locked up if they don't have their papers. What exactly does an illegal look like? I've known white Canadians who've overstayed their visas. Imagine if a neighbor has a grudge against you and you don't have your birth certificate handy. The neighbor can sue the cops for not trying to figure out if you're here legally or not. Don't be too quick to give up someone else's rights - you may end up giving up yours.

[Kiri sute gomen]

12:39 AM on 05/25/2010

Very well said.

[Bouldergeist]

05:05 AM on 05/25/2010

If you are a Coloradan with a driver's license, you're golden -- even in Arizona. As you would know if you are a resident, you can't get a CDL without proof of legal status.

[Palemoon]

07:17 PM on 05/24/2010

You see, GW Bush, for all of his drawbacks, he knew how to win people over. That's why he assimilated himself in Mexican culture and learned to speak Spanish prior to running for President. Just like people say Clinton was the first black President, the same could be said of GW Bush in his being the first latino President.

[pecosdog]

10:22 PM on 05/24/2010

give me a break, bush did not know how to speak spanish. "Su pais es un grande pais" was the only complete sentence he ever did in that language and then he botched the rest of it. he just pretended to speak it in a cynical ploy to win some hispanic votes. As Molly Ivins said it was "Hola, buenos tardes, amigos", a few scripted words and then que the mariachis at any event where he "spoke" Spanish.

[swift goat pet for truth]

11:36 PM on 05/24/2010

that's the GOPers.

Great at winning elections.
Terrible at actual governance.

As if American public notices.

[Bouldergeist]

05:09 AM on 05/25/2010

Got oil slick? Obama ain't exactly lighting things up out there.

[apartoflife]

07:08 PM on 05/24/2010

Fact of the matter is Arizona's law appears to have wide support and it is a big political win for anybody suppporting it right now. However; republicans have been branded thanks to Arizona. Arizona has effectively created life long democrats out of the majority of latinos since it's no secret every democrat in the Arizona legilature voted against the Arizona law. Republicans are by default the party of anti-latino. This may be okay now but the hispanic population most who are US citizens will eventually dominate the south west and eventually be the majority. In the end republicans will regret supporting these types of laws. As Bill Maher likes to say... "not all republicans are racist, but all racists are republican."

[Palemoon]

07:14 PM on 05/24/2010

And Democrats have been branded since the Elian Gonzales affair. Some would argue that the incident, which happened in June 2000, cost Al Gore dearly in Florida.

[apartoflife]

08:40 PM on 05/24/2010

That, the election fraud and an ideological right leaning supreme court.

[Bouldergeist]

05:17 AM on 05/25/2010

Faved to offset two unwarranted "abusive" flags.

[Bouldergeist]

05:00 AM on 05/25/2010

"Por La Raza todo, Fuera de La Raza nada." I'd take issue with Maher.

[alicante]

06:40 PM on 05/24/2010

Andrew Romanoff's win over Bennett was big. Colorado will be better off if he wins.

[DenverLofts]

07:46 PM on 05/24/2010

He has a lot of supporters that are delegates, but I feel Bennet will win in the Primaries

[alicante]

07:57 PM on 05/24/2010

Well, you could be right. Bennett has taken so much pac-money money for ads. He paid for giant pictures of himself to be carried around at the state assembly. Romanoff won't take pac money. He cannot be bought. I like that.

[Icantbelieveher]

12:39 AM on 05/25/2010

Romanoff will win the primary -- and the election in the fall!

[Nathan Reynolds]

09:48 PM on 05/24/2010

I believe Romanoff will in the upcoming primaries but it will be close. If you live in Colorado please contribute your time to helping to make sure that we get the message out. Our voices can carry more weight than the corporate dollars given to Bennet.

[Palemoon]

06:33 PM on 05/24/2010

Well, now that we know he benefits from the politically charged latino vote, where does Mr. Bennet stand in regards to the affairs of latinos?? And how do they know he won't stab them in the back?

Two thing should be pointed out, since the article writer sought fit to make a big deal over Ken Salazar being latino. #1, can anyone here honestly claim that Mr. Salazar will be pulled over and harassed based on the color of his skin? #2, people here do realize that Salazar was involved in a conflict of interest that required a "Saxbe fix" in order for his being able to serve in violation of the laws of the US Constitution right?

[PeterFisk]

06:27 PM on 05/24/2010

This is yet another example of the Corporate Dem operatives at HuffPost-Denver trying to skew reality in favor of their candidate - Michael Bennet - to the detriment of the people's candidate in the Democratic primary - Andrew Romanoff.

If HuffPost-Denver had a genuine interest in engaging in anything resembling real journalism, this "story" would give equal billing to the two Democratic candidates and take an honest comparative look at where they stand on immigration policy.

Andrew Romanoff is a stalwart supporter of comprehensive immigration reform. Michael Bennet is not. Michael Bennet's campaign is funded by the big corporate cash machine that strives to keep our national immigration policy just as it is, with an underclass of exploitable low-wage workers.

Why is HuffPost-Denver systematically burying the fact that Romanoff won the state assembly by 21 points? I think we know the answer to that.

[VoteThemAllOut]

06:53 PM on 05/24/2010

Don't forget, Barack Hussein Obama has given this guy his personal support.

[Bouldergeist]

05:27 AM on 05/25/2010

So far, that has been the kiss of death. "So how was the play, Mrs. Specter?" ;-)

Right about now, Obama's ice is getting pretty thin. He has no executive experience and it is showing.

[AprilinDenver]

08:38 PM on 05/24/2010

You're absolutely right- Huff post is blatantly biased towards Bennet. Pretty disgusting.

[Sharon Hanson]

09:41 PM on 05/24/2010

I agree. They couldn't have found a more charming picture of Bennet and yet at the top of the page they post a headline as a negative for Andrew Romanoff even though it was a good interview and AR did very well.

I think we should all write to HuffPost and inform them that this site is losing credibility because of their favorable bias towards Bennet. It's disgusting that HuffPost would do this I have been reading it since day 1 and the people of Colorado want Andrew Romanoff 60 to 40. Ignoring the people's choice while whoring for Bennet is no way to run a news website. I'm becoming more and more disgusted with this by the day.

[Bouldergeist]

05:21 AM on 05/25/2010

Nobody deals from the top of the deck any more. Nobody even pretends to.

Romanoff did a superb job on Hardball yesterday ... at least, he showed more savvy than Rand Paul.

[Kat119]

04:40 PM on 05/24/2010

This AZ. Immigration Bill is just highlighting the laws already on the books for years, both statewide and Federally. Asking for a drivers license or a green card is common practice around the world in every country.

American Voters want our country to uphold law and order w/ strong Borders.
Repubs. stand to sweep the elections certainly in all US Border states in Nov. This is their WIN!!

[HowdyDoody]

05:26 PM on 05/24/2010

Yeah, it's real common in Communist China, Burma, North Korea, and the former Soviet Union, along with South Africa under apartheid. Why don't you take up residency somewhere where carrying around your "papers" is required?

[TeraWatt60]

05:56 PM on 05/24/2010

BS I live in AZ and they want "citizenship" proof...a drivers license is only proof you reside in a certain state not proof of citizenship, especially because in Arizona your license only needs renewal when you turn 65 any changes in the law (such as a citizenship requirement) don't work their way through during renewals.

This law is simply a typical Republican "Get Out the Moron Vote" action -- Gays or Immigrants they flip a coin (it seems) and which ever comes up they go them with a ridiculous law or initiative to rev up the base

[HowdyDoody]

06:59 PM on 05/24/2010

Absolutely!! In fact, it's more than get out the moron vote, it's suppress the Latino vote! All they have to do is hire some security guards at polling places to ask for ID, and they've scared away hundreds or thousands of American citizens.

I've seen it work here in Colorado in the backward county we live in. I personally am going to volunteer to take Latino people to the polls and stand with them to protect them while they vote!!

[Bouldergeist]

05:24 AM on 05/25/2010

In most states, you can't get a driver's license without proof of legal status, and if we had this practice applied uniformly throughout the nation, it would be no problemo.