PHOENIX — Republican Sen. John McCain, who once championed a path to citizenship for the nation's roughly 12 million undocumented immigrants, is now pushing for a crackdown on illegals amid the toughest re-election fight of his career.
McCain's hardline stance on immigration comes in the face of a credible GOP primary challenger, former Rep. J.D. Hayworth, and the possibility that the party's 2008 presidential nominee could lose his Senate seat because many conservatives don't consider him one of their own.
Engaged in a fierce contest with the tea party-backed Hayworth, McCain has moved to the right on numerous issues, including gay rights and climate change, and disavowed his long-standing maverick label.
The killing of an Arizona rancher last month stoked conservatives' emphasis on fighting illegal immigration. The state Legislature on Monday sent Republican Gov. Jan Brewer one of the toughest immigration laws in the country; Brewer hasn't said what she will do. The turn of events has moved immigration to the forefront for voters — and Hayworth has used the issue as a cudgel against McCain.
On March 27, rancher Rob Krentz, 58, was found dead on his all-terrain vehicle after making a garbled call about encountering someone apparently needing help. Authorities say they believe Krentz was shot by an illegal border-crosser, possibly someone working for a smuggling cartel, although they haven't made arrests in the case.
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