O.C. Republicans pan state’s ‘sanctuary’ law
Candidates line up against the policy, echoing criticism from Trump administration.
It’s not typical for a congressman to show up in person at a Board of Supervisors meeting. But that’s what happened Wednesday, when Rep. Dana Rohrabacher spoke on a controversial matter the board was taking up Tuesday in Orange County: whether to join the Trump administration in suing California for its “sanctuary state” law.
“By making this a sanctuary city and a sanctuary state, we are doing nothing more than attracting millions of more people to come to this country,” Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) told the board. He added that a “flow of illegals” has diminished the quality of public schools, healthcare and housing for Californians. He also called immigrants in the country illegally “the greatest threat to the wellbeing” of county residents.
Rohrabacher’s words aren’t far off from talking points crafted more than a quarter-century ago during the campaign for Proposition 187, a ballot initiative that got its start in his coastal Orange County district and called for eliminating basic services such as healthcare and public schooling for immigrants in the country illegally.
It passed, and helped propel Gov. Pete Wilson to the governorship, but was struck down by the courts. It’s also received the brunt of the blame for the California Republican Party’s steep decline over the past couple of decades.
Orange County is a rapidly changing place that two years ago voted for a Democrat for president for the first time in 80 years, making Rohrabacher one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the state. His tough stance on immigration in an increasingly challenging reelection fight shows the galvanizing power he and many GOP candidates believe the issue still holds in the region.
In an election year when Democrats have an edge in voter engagement and enthusiasm, opposing California’s “sanctuary state” policy could bring more Republican voters out to the polls.
Scott Baugh, a former chairman of the Orange County Republican Party who’s now running against Rohrabacher, says he also opposes the law.
“We can’t have a bunch of states out there being scofflaws of the federal government,” Baugh said in an interview. “We need our laws enforced, otherwise you just invite more and more people to take advantage of the situation.”
Taking such a strong position is not a surefire strategy. In a January poll by UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies, twothirds of voters in Rohrabacher’s district said they were in favor of providing legal status to young people brought to the country illegally as children. A majority opposed building a wall along the Mexico border.
Republican Shawn Nelson, who is running to replace retiring GOP Rep. Ed Royce in the 39th Congressional District, was one of the four supervisors who voted to condemn the sanctuary state policy.
“I have nothing against anyone, but our duty has to be first and foremost to the citizens,” Nelson said. “We need substantial immigration reform. But if we don’t reform things and start following the rules, what’s the point of reforming anything if people can just act like we don’t have rules?”
Several Democrats running for Royce’s seat responded forcefully, calling the vote a “last gasp of conservative politics that no longer fits our community.” They said it would “enable Trump’s abusive immigration agenda” and endanger the “rights of Orange County’s vibrant immigrant community.”
Former state Assemblywoman Young Kim, a Republican also running for Royce’s seat and an immigrant herself, said in a statement shortly before the vote that California’s sanctuary state law is an “affront to law-abiding citizens and a threat to public safety.”
Bob Huff, a former Republican state senator also running for the seat, said he thinks that most 39th District residents oppose the sanctuary state policy and that the immigration issue could quickly become a liability for Democrats in the 2018 midterm.
“It makes people feel uncomfortable when their own government is aiding and abetting felony fugitives. That’s a problem that cuts across party lines,” Huff said. “We are a country built of immigrants, and the 39th Congressional District has a lot of immigrants in it. But most of those that I talk to think that those who want to come here should be coming legally and standing in line they way they did.”
The 39th Congressional District race is No. 1 on The Times’ ranking of the most competitive contests.
Rohrabacher’s 48th District is No. 4 on the ranking of California congressional races, found at latimes.com/ cahouserankings. His race has become less competive for the Democrats.
Here’s why: Many Democrats fear that with so many Democratic candidates splitting the vote, Baugh could make it through California’s primary, which advances the top two vote-getters in each race regardless of party. If that happens, a prime pickup opportunity for Democrats could evaporate.
Three congressional Democrats who represent Orange County — Reps. Lou Correa, Alan Lowenthal and Linda Sanchez, who is also vice chair of the Democratic caucus — are endorsing Harley Rouda. It’s a break from the California Democratic Party, which officially endorsed Hans Keirstead at its convention..
Not long after the endorsement, Democrat Laura Oatman left the race and endorsed Rouda, calling for party unity.
Democrats across California have been worried about getting shut out of key congressional races this year because of the massive field of candidates challenging GOP incumbents.
Oatman said she hopes “all local activists … can now unite into one mighty force” behind Rouda.