Republican wins Democrat primary election

Republican wins Democrat primary election as a write-in candidate.

Republican Mayor Lou Barletta of Hazleton, PA won the Democrat primary election as a write-in candidate. He also won the Republican primary with 94% of the vote. He had been toughening the laws against illegal immigration and many Democrats had approached him saying they were sorry that they couldn't vote for him. So the Mayor sent a mailer out with instructions on how to do a write-in candidate entry on the ballot. And he won the Democrat primary in a city where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 2 to 1.

I can't wait to see the debate between the candidates! If you win both primaries, something tells me the voters have spoken.

Wow! There is hope. I had long since written off voters and elections in our system is fairly stagnant. One of the things I always hear is that 3rd parties will never work because write in candidates can't win. If you can win as a write in crossing party lines then surely we could elect a Libertarian, Green Party, or Labor type of candidate. Having a choice of something other than the Republocrats would sure be refreshing.

How does a mayor toughen laws against illegal immigration?

AndyTiedye said:

How does a mayor toughen laws against illegal immigration?

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Yeah I missed that point in my post...and in PA no less. I guess I could see this being a little more of and issue in say El Paso or the like.

I'd say illegal immigration should be about dead last on my mayors list of things to do here where I live. It's a federal and only slightly a state issue. Mayors should focus on the local issues they have real control over. Here's there are only a couple of hundred pressing matters that have languished that are more important. But hey, bashing people who don't look, act or speak like us is a winning political move these days.

AndyTiedye said:

How does a mayor toughen laws against illegal immigration?

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From the posted article:

The measure, on hold due to a legal challenge by Hispanic groups and individuals, was approved last summer and emulated by other towns and cities. It would penalize landlords who rent to illegal immigrants and businesses that hire them.

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-Bill

PS: I would guess this would be the flip side of Sanctuary States and Cities being provided by state and local officials (list from James Walsh, a former federal prosecutor):

Sanctuary states include Alaska, California, Maine, and Oregon. In New Mexico, Rio Arriba County has declared itself a sanctuary; and among the sanctuary cities are Anchorage, Ala.; Los Angeles, Calif.; Chicago and Evanston, Ill.; Cambridge, Mass.; Portland, Maine; Takoma Park and Garrett Park, Md.; Detroit, Mich.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Durham, N.C.; New York City; Gaston, Ore.; Austin and Houston, Texas; Seattle, Wash.; and Madison, Wis.

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That isn't a law against illegal immigration, it's a law to get people to discriminate
against anybody who looks Mexican.

Given that most cities provide services such as schools and police, and some provide services to the poor and homeless, you bet illegal immigration is a local issue.

And it ain't just El Paso. There are many cities far from the border that have high illegal immigrant populations, Chicago being the classic example. And before you absolve state governments of responsibility, talk to a few prison guards;

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/26/AR2006062601240.html

Money quote; "More than 10 percent of California's prison population is in the United States illegally."

Its kinda funny to see the race card played here on the Interweb. I live in a small primarily black city, and immigrant rights rhetoric goes over like the proverbial lead balloon. Strangely enough the progressives studiously avoid accusing the general population of xenophobia or nativism, except in the freebie liberal weekly and in yuppie enclaves.

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