Arizona Open Seat Race Weighed Down by Illegal Border Entries

By Kelley Beaucar Vlahos

WASHINGTON — The candidates jockeying for prominence in Arizona's 8th Congressional District race are no different from any other Republican or Democrat in America now arguing over the best way to fix the country's "broken borders" — except one.

They are vying to represent a district that is contending with thousands of non-Americans trying to sneak through its backyard every day.

"More than half of the immigrants who are entering this country illegally are entering through my district," said Patty Weiss, one of eight Democrats seeking the seat held by outgoing Republican Rep. Jim Kolbe.

"There's only one issue: It's immigration," said Mike Hellon, one of 13 Republicans running to replace Kolbe on the greater Tucson district. "We're on ground zero on that issue in respect to the rest of the country."

Republican Randy Graf, a top contender with the toughest stance on immigration, said about 4,000 to 5,000 illegal immigrants are crossing the border each day into the 8th District and next door in the 7th Congressional District, both which line the Mexican border.

"The people living here have been living with this for years," he said. But this year, he notes, Washington seems to be listening. "This issue will be front and center."