Immigration Extremism on The Increase

The argument is often made that the incumbency increases partisanship. If winning the primary is all that matters, why bother seeking the middle ground? Yet this morning's Post seems keen to disprove this. Its profiles one of - it not the - closest house race in the country, the Arizona 8th, is a picture of partisan rancour. Immigration is playing such a hot button role in border state races that, regardless of how close a contest might be, primary campaigns are vying for who has the more extreme message on border control. The same is true in areas without primaries, like the neighboring toss-up Arizon 5th. Here, immigration hardliner Jay Hayworth is in a surprisingly tough race, but has rarely softened his outspoken views on border security. Even Rick Santorum, hardly a border state Senator, is using the issue to try and boost his re-election bid. It seems as if the nearer the election gets the more extreme the rhetoric - and the slimmer the chance of reform - becomes.