Former White House senior adviser David Plouffe said Sunday that the window to pass immigration reform is now, and action is unlikely in 2015 as the 2016 presidential election campaign heats up.
“There’s no way it’s going to get done” as GOP hopefuls are campaigning in primary states, Mr. Plouffe said on ABC’s “This Week.” “If it doesn’t get done this year, on 2016 Election Night in November, Colorado, New Mexico — maybe even Arizona — Nevada, Florida will all be blue.”
“I think it’s very hard,” he continued. “The energy in Iowa, South Carolina, Nevada is all going to be on the presidential [election]. It’s going to be the hard right tea party. I think it’s much harder — I think this is the window.”
Mr. Plouffe said House Speaker John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, could allow a bill to pass with the help of Democrats and not ask a single Republican to cast a tough vote.
“Get it done, heal your party broadly,” he said.
Mr. Boehner recently signaled that House Republicans won’t move on immigration until President Obama proves to Republicans’ satisfaction that he is serious about enforcing the laws and no longer will try to work around Congress.
“Listen, there’s widespread doubt about whether this administration can be trusted to enforce our laws. And it’s going to be difficult to move any immigration legislation until that changes,” the Ohio Republican said last week.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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