Whit Ayres’ comments on The Washington Post website on GOP voters and immigration reform:
“Our research has shown that roughly one third of Republican primary voters will never support a path to citizenship no matter what the conditions,” says Ayres, a supporter of reform. “But two thirds will support a path to citizenship as long as the conditions are strict and rigorous.”
In the interview, Ayres got at a key point that keeps getting lost in the discussion. While some polls do show Republicans oppose a path to citizenship, other polls — ones that present the range of policy options in a more accurate manner — find they support it. For instance, if polls ask respondents to make a straight choice — do they favor favor citizenship, Yes or No (as the Post poll does) — a majority of Republicans say No. But when polls tell respondents that citizenship comes packaged with increased border security and/or conditions attached, a majority of Republicans supports it. This is true in polling from Quinnipiac and National Journal, both of which find at least six in 10 Republicans supportive.
Ayres says his research bears this out. It demonstrates that Republican primary voters are hostile up front to citizenship, but they recognize a need to fix the system and accept citizenship as part of a broader package of reforms that includes a border security buildup, back taxes, fines, and learning English.
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