It is a MSM manager’s worst nightmare. All over the country immigration is surfacing as a key election issue – Alabama, for instance: (Gubernatorial Candidates Debate Immigration Issue NBC13.com July 6 2006).

In Arkansas, the enterprising Republican candidate for attorney general has a concrete proposal:

Gunner DeLay said Wednesday that as the state’s chief legal officer he would sue employers who hire illegal immigrants to recoup the cost of any Medicaid benefits granted to the workers…He said he would hold accountable employers who supply bogus social security numbers or other documents to employees, or who do not ask for proper documentation at all when they hire someone.

(Immigration issue enters attorney general’s race Arkansas News Bureau Thursday July 6 2006)

What makes this development particularly interesting is that Arkansas politicians generally have an atrocious record on immigration issues, particularly for a Southern state. I have always felt the malign influence of the big Agri-businesses headquartered there (like Tyson Food) has much to do with this. Even the Wall Street Journal has noted the damaging effects of immigration on the State’s workers!

Prominent among the atrocious are the retiring Republican Governor, Mike Huckabee, and even worse the current Republican candidate for the office, Asa Hutchinson

In a clear sign that DeLay is right in describing illegal immigration as

an issue that is first and foremost in voters’ minds this year

the Hutchinson campaign is actually trying to coat tail on DeLay’s initiative

“There’s a clear contrast between candidates like Asa Hutchinson who are willing to offer substantive proposals for fighting illegal immigration and candidates like Dustin McDaniel [DeLay’s opponent] … who have nothing to offer to the debate but weak political attacks,” Hutchinson spokesman David Kinkade said”

It is a fixed principle at VDARE.com that sensible immigration reform requires a coalition, but Hutchinson as an ally takes a couple of swallows.

The Democrat has responded with some spluttering wonkery and an attempt to anathematize:

On this issue, Gunner is outside of the mainstream of even his republican party nationally and in Arkansas,” McDaniel said.

(Again with the illegals Arkansas Times July 6 2006)

Arkansas voters should hope that this is so!