We at VDARE.COM have been interested in Senator Rick Santorum’s come-from-behind re-election bid in Pennsylvannia for quite a while. He has had the enterprise to raise the immigration issue in the race. Pennsylvannia has a much more serious immigration problem than the state’s elite hopes will be realized. Hazelton’s courageous Mayor Barletta (also Senatorial material?) deserves much credit for highlighting this issue.

Today’s Washington Times story: [Santorum shrinks Casey’s poll lead – Charles Hurt September 1 2006 ] indicates progress is being made:

Sen. Rick Santorum, Pennsylvania Republican, has dramatically narrowed the huge poll lead held by state Treasurer Bob Casey Jr. …Republican strategists say his tough stance on immigration has been a key factor.

“Rick’s immigration message is resonating,” said John Braybender, Mr. Santorum’s media consultant… “We did a certain amount of internal polling, and when it got to immigration, it was very clear,” Mr. Braybender said. “Rick’s position versus Casey’s was overwhelming.”

Earlier this year, polls had Mr. Santorum lagging far behind Mr. Casey, most by double-digit margins. One poll had Mr. Santorum 23 percentage points down. But in the past month, that margin has shrunk to about six percentage points, according to an average of polls compiled by the Web site RealClearPolitics.com.

A poll conducted last month by Strategic Vision found Mr. Casey leading Mr. Santorum by 47 percent to 41 percent. That same poll found Mr. Santorum 16 points behind earlier in the year.

The story concludes:

The two candidates will appear together Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” for their first debate of the campaign

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That will be something for Patriots to monitor.