Update: Some blogs seems to suggest that because of low voter turnout, this election means little to nothing.  Sure.  What do you think would have happened had Bilbray’s position on immigration been directly contrary to the ten points posed below?  Does anyone honestly think the result would have been the same?  Moral of the story: Republicans have no love for the liberal position Bush is taking on immigration.  Neither, in fact, do liberals.  Bilbray took the position on immigration that every Republican should take before and after the upcoming November elections.  In other words, if there was low turnout, then the democratic base turned out, and the republican base turned out.  Now.  Imagine a position on immigration contrary to the one Bilbray took.  Does anyone really think he would have won?  Would the base have turned out?

Brian Bilbray, candidate for House in California, wins, running on the following platform:

Over the next year I will endeavor to commit as many candidates as possible to join me by pledging their support to ten essential border security and immigration reforms. These ten items are:

1. Ending the current “Catch and release” policy by making expedited removal of illegal aliens mandatory and to require the completion of the US-VISIT entry-exit system.
2. Authorizing the deployment of the military on the border to assist in controlling illegal immigration.
3. Construction of a border fence along the U.S.-Mexico border extending from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, starting with the most heavily trafficked border crossings.
4. Mandatory employer verification of worker eligibility to work in the United States.
5. Stiff penalties for knowingly hiring illegal workers, not fines that are considered “a cost of doing business.”
6. Make clear that local and state authorities are authorized to apprehend illegal aliens in the conduct of their routine duties, a legal uncertainty that has prevented untold thousands of illegal alien captures.
7. Prohibit illegal aliens from any access to Social Security benefits. Unbelievably, current U.S. law allows a loophole for illegal aliens to receive social security benefits. This practice must end.
8. Removing employer tax deductions for wages and benefits paid to illegal aliens.
9. Limiting birthright citizenship to the children of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents.
10. Comprehensive border and immigration enforcement legislation to end countless other loopholes that benefit illegal aliens and those who profit from their crime of illegal presence in the United States, to give law enforcement the tools and permission to enforce the laws and to compensate states for the financial impact of illegal immigration.  

Hopefully, the balance of the House, having watched what happened in liberal California, will take heed.  Perhaps the Senate should listen too?