Jeb Bush, now the undisputed king of fundraisers in both parties, came prepared on Sunday to address head-on the immigration issue, one of his biggest vulnerabilities with Republican core voters.
He told an audience of major donors that the longest-running, unaddressed problem the U.S. faces has been legal “chain” immigration.
Mr. Bush said it allows relatives beyond the immediate family to migrate to the U.S. legally. He said that the unending influx crowds out “economically driven immigrants” — that is, people who come to the U.S. to find jobs and education that will allow them to better themselves.
He said Canada is attracting more economically driven immigrants than the U.S.
In a dark suit and tie and wearing rimless glasses, Mr. Bush, 62, capped two days of political strategy and auditioning for GOP business and professional people who had contributed at least $100,000 to the party and its candidates. Among the 450 in the audience were newly elected Senate and House members.
Industrialists Charles and David Koch organized the event sponsored by their Freedom Partnership organization.
SEE ALSO: Marco Rubio’s Tom Brady quip delights Koch-gathered audience
Politico’s Mike Allen asked questions of Mr. Bush for 25 minutes, the same time allotted for his questioning of Sen. Ted Cruz and, before him, Sen. Marco Rubio.
Mr. Allen made joking reference to Mr. Bush’s super PACs and GOP presidential nomination campaign’s having taken in a jaw-dropping $120 million by the end of June, according to the Federal Election Commission.
“What’s your point?” Mr. Bush said with a smile.
“How much is too much?” Mr. Allen retorted.
“I don’t know, but you might as well front load if you can,” Mr. Bush replied, again with a smile. “Am I missing something here? I’m running hard — not to come in third.”
He said he set out to be able to stay in the race until the end and to win it, “and money helps.”
“If people don’t like it, that’s just tough,” Mr. Bush said.
Asked what is the biggest new idea he’ll unveil in the debate, Mr. Bush said he’ll propose housing for border patrol agents on the border. Most live far from the areas they patrol, he said.
“One thing I think might be a little new is to expand dramatically cooperation” between federal and local authorities in enforcing immigration laws, he said.
Mr. Bush went on to note, though, that border security and illegal immigration are separate issues. “Forty percent of all [illegal immigrants] across the country come here with legal visas and just stay,” he said.
Mr. Allen then noted that Mr. Bush has complained about the influence of lobbyists, and yet his super PAC has taken in more money from lobbyists than that of any other candidate.
“They know my view on lobbying reform,” Mr. Bush said. “People support candidates because they believe in them and their ideas.”
Earlier, when Mr. Cruz was at bat, Mr. Allen pitched him a slow one, letters high, asking why the Texas tea-party maverick is about to embark on a tour of the southern states when most of the rest of the 17-candidate GOP field is concentrating on the four early states that vote for the party’s presidential nominee in February.
Mr. Cruz — not leading in polls in in any early state — quickly explained his Southern strategy, telling the audience that because the Republican National Committee has sped up the nomination contest, a passel of Southern states will vote in March.
“They’re all conservative states where our grass-roots team are incredibly strong,” Mr. Cruz said.
Some veteran elections watchers think the nominee will be decided in that Southern swing. Most veteran election observers, however, think it will be a prolonged contest, with 17 candidates officially declared.
When the questioning moved to climate change, Mr. Cruz said government agencies were cooking the books on climate change the way the Enron Corporation’s accountants used to.
But, Mr. Allen asked, isn’t the GOP’s pooh-poohing climate change bad for its image and Mr. Cruz’s own chances of wining a general election if he is the nominee?
“Not remotely,” Mr. Cruz said. “Three or four decades ago, scientists were talking about global cooling.”
Mr. Allen asked if he was flat out denying global warming.
“I’m saying the facts don’t support it,” Mr. Cruz responded.
He said climate change is a way for statists and liberals to get more control of the economy and of people’s lives, noting that every change in weather patterns gets attributed by environmentalists and Democrats to global warming.
“It’s the perfect theory. Whether it’s global warming or cooling, it can never be disproved, so it’s the perfect way to grab control of the economy,” Mr. Cruz said.
• Ralph Z. Hallow can be reached at rhallow@gmail.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.