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Steve King: If the Iowa Caucus Was Today, Trump Would ‘Probably Come Out on Top’
The Iowa congressman and power broker is standing behind Trump’s immigration rhetoric.
National Journal
Eric Garcia
7/13/2015
Excerpt:
July 13, 2015 Donald Trump's remarks about Mexican immigrants during his presidential announcement has led to him losing many of his business deals and the support of some Republicans. But Iowa Rep. Steve King, a conservative influencer in the early caucus state, is standing behind Trump and said his remarks are catching fire.
"He's riding a good wave and right now if the caucus were held today, he'd probably come out on top," King told National Journal.
King has emerged as an influential figure in the Republican Party who has not shied away from making his own controversial statements about immigration, infamously mixing it up with immigration activists and saying, "for everyone who's a valedictorian, there's another 100 out there that weigh 130 pounds and they've got calves the size of cantaloupes because they're hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert."
King said he was happy that Trump has brought immigration into focus for the primary.
"The design was not to talk about immigration, so perhaps they could team up and pass something like the Gang of 8's bill," King said, referring to the immigration-reform bill proposed in 2013 by four Democratic senators and four Republican senators, including presidential contender Sen. Marco Rubio.
Earlier this month, a Quinnipiac University poll showed Trump tied with Ben Carson for second in Iowa, behind only Jeb Bush. King said part of the reason for this is that many who oppose immigration reform have been marginalized or called xenophobic, racist, or nativist.
"They know what's right," he said of many Iowa voters. "What's right is not to grant amnesty to reward people for breaking the law."
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View the complete article, including photo, at:
http://www.nationaljournal.com/2016-...n-top-20150713
The Iowa congressman and power broker is standing behind Trump’s immigration rhetoric.
National Journal
Eric Garcia
7/13/2015
Excerpt:
July 13, 2015 Donald Trump's remarks about Mexican immigrants during his presidential announcement has led to him losing many of his business deals and the support of some Republicans. But Iowa Rep. Steve King, a conservative influencer in the early caucus state, is standing behind Trump and said his remarks are catching fire.
"He's riding a good wave and right now if the caucus were held today, he'd probably come out on top," King told National Journal.
King has emerged as an influential figure in the Republican Party who has not shied away from making his own controversial statements about immigration, infamously mixing it up with immigration activists and saying, "for everyone who's a valedictorian, there's another 100 out there that weigh 130 pounds and they've got calves the size of cantaloupes because they're hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert."
King said he was happy that Trump has brought immigration into focus for the primary.
"The design was not to talk about immigration, so perhaps they could team up and pass something like the Gang of 8's bill," King said, referring to the immigration-reform bill proposed in 2013 by four Democratic senators and four Republican senators, including presidential contender Sen. Marco Rubio.
Earlier this month, a Quinnipiac University poll showed Trump tied with Ben Carson for second in Iowa, behind only Jeb Bush. King said part of the reason for this is that many who oppose immigration reform have been marginalized or called xenophobic, racist, or nativist.
"They know what's right," he said of many Iowa voters. "What's right is not to grant amnesty to reward people for breaking the law."
.................................................. .................
View the complete article, including photo, at:
http://www.nationaljournal.com/2016-...n-top-20150713