Jeff Flake's Supposed Major Immigration Problem

Jeff Flake is likely going to be a major contender for AZ U.S. Senate. Here is a article on him this morning and the immigration issue.

Immigration restriction guy Mark Krikorian takes aim at Flake and a while host of GOP folks at No ‘Truce’ for Daniels on Immigration.

He says among other things:

A lot of Republicans running in 2012 are going to face problems with the Tea Party on immigration. The Tea Party groups didn’t address immigration (except maybe those in Arizona), just as they avoided all issues other than spending and size of government, and that was a smart move at the time. But as an outpouring of populist nationalism, they are almost coterminous with immigration hawks, and woe to any open-borders Republican seeking their help. This is why Dick Armey and Grover Norquist, both strong open-borders guys, don’t even utter the word “immigration” to Tea Party folks, lest they have tomatoes thrown at them.

Except what he does not mention is that among the major contenders Krikorians and Numbers USA's view of the issue was not exactly highlighted either. Texas Governor Rick Perry basically gave a reference to Border Security but that was the highlight.

He says as to FLAKE:
Jeff Flake, for instance, may face rough sledding because of his C- grade from Numbers USA, making him one of the worst House Republicans on immigration. (He has the same grade as Gabby Giffords, who’s one of the better House Democrats.) .

Hmm will he have rough sledding? There does seem a pattern that the Federal delegation (DEM OR GOP) on the whole seem to reflect the complexity of the immigration issue. That is they don't speak to the extremes on either side. I have a feeling that this how AZ residents feel on the whole.

However what about Flake. Well someone has to got explain despite this issue being hot in AZ for years he has such a easy time getting reelected. See his numbers at the bottom of the page. Look a the breakdown of this District here.

This issue has been hot hot hot in AZ yet he has not even had a credible GOP primary challenge. People also attempt to explain that away every election cycle but those theories are getting less credible to me.