The best signal yet that Republicans feel their grip on the Arizona Legislature slipping
Opinion: Republicans unveiled their border security proposal but the biggest surprise in the bill was their signal that they may be about to lose control of the Legislature.
Laurie RobertsComes now the strongest signal yet that Democrats have their best chance in decades to win control of the Arizona Legislature.
Even the Republicans think so.
On Tuesday, Republican lawmakers rolled out the border security bill they plan to put on the November ballot — largely the one vetoed earlier this year by Gov. Katie Hobbs.
The Secure the Border Act would make crossing the border illegally a state crime, allowing local and state police to arrest anyone who crosses at any place other than a port of entry.
No word on how the cops will be able to identify a person who has crossed the border illegally unless they actually witness the crossing. Or where the counties will put legal residents arrested for murder and robbery and such once their jails are chock full of suspected illegal border crossers.
Voters are likely to pass a border bill
The bill, House Concurrent Resolution 2060, will be heard on Wednesday in the House Military Affairs, Public Safety and Border Security Committee.
Expect much shaking of fists by Republicans rightly frustrated with the federal government’s inability and/or refusal to get control of the border.
Expect much gnashing of teeth by immigrant rights groups rightly worried about constitutional rights and by business groups worried about the inevitable hit to the state’s workforce.
Then expect the bill to glide through the Legislature and onto the Nov. 5 ballot where it’ll win easily.
Republican consultant Barret Marson predicts it’ll pass with 60% of the vote.
“Voters want something to be done,” Marson said. “Even if it’s just sending a message. Illegal immigration is one of the top issues every single election. You can disagree with this approach, but voters will approve it because they want something.”
The quieter message Republicans are sending
The most interesting part of the bill is the message sent by Republican leadership.
It’s right there, in Section 7 of the proposal.
“If any lawsuit is filed challenging any part of this act, the president of the Senate, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the minority leader of the Senate or the minority leader of the House of Representatives shall be allowed to intervene in the action so long as the individual is intervening to defend the constitutionality of the law.”
A bill to kill border crossers?Has it really come to this?
The Senate president and House speaker already have the authority to defend against lawsuits.
But a bill authorizing the leaders of the minority party to take action?
Since I’m pretty sure Democrats would have no interest in defending this law, I’m going to take a wild guess here that Republican leaders know their days are numbered when it comes to control of the Legislature.
Perhaps they know their days are numbered
There’s good reason to think that.
Fake electors. The obsession with culture wars and election conspiracy theories. A refusal to impose better controls on the state's runaway school voucher program. Their push to end the state’s wildly popular early ballot program — the one used by 80% of the state’s voters.
Yep, good reason, indeed.
Republicans are clinging to one-vote majorities in each chamber, and now with their recent impassioned attempt to return us to 1864 and a near total ban on abortion?
Now it seems even they can feel their tenuous grip slipping, slipping, slipping ...
Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @LaurieRoberts or on Threads at laurierobertsaz.
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