Virginia Republican Senator George Allen is the only Republican presidential candidate to opposing the Senate immigration reform bill.
Allen told The Hill that he will vote against the Senate bill.;
“It rewards illegal behavior,” he said in a short interview, emphasizing that the borders need to be secured first.
Allen has differentiated himself from the other Senate presidential wannabees on what is likely to be a major issue in the 2008 election.
The Hill lines up the rest of the Senates presidential candidates:
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) yesterday indicated he is leaning toward voting for the pending immigration reform bill — even though it is significantly different from his own legislation.[. . .]
Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), who played major roles in crafting the bill, will vote yes.
Sen. Sam Brownback, a conservative Republican from Kansas, told The Hill that he would vote for the immigration overhaul as long as no amendments are approved that would significantly expand the number of immigrants coming into the country or reduce the level of enforcement.
“I think good work has been done here in the Senate, and I would support it,” he said.
Top Democratic contender Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) said, “We will have to see how it turns out,” referring to a number of amendments that still required a vote until the bill is ready for final passage.
Meanwhile, Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh (D) said he would vote for the legislation to send it to conference with the House. “I would be inclined to vote on something that would go to a conference committee,” he said, but he pointed out that amendments can change the nature of the bill.
Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.) said, “I would vote for it.”
Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) and Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) could not be reached for comment by press time.
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