SALEM, N.H. — Republican voters making ready for the first-in-the-nation main say they need a president who will safe the borders and management the flood of unlawful immigrants into the U.S.
Securing the border is former President Donald Trump’s signature problem. It ought to solely strengthen his frontrunning marketing campaign within the Granite State, although there’s little daylight between any of the GOP candidates on immigration coverage.
“I think Trump’s right on a lot of issues. I can’t stand Biden,” mentioned Salem resident Mark Fitzpatrick, 63, who voted for Mr. Trump within the 2016 and 2020 primaries. “How is it fair for them to open up the gates and let everybody in the country?”
The Washington Times interviewed greater than a dozen New Hampshire voters and located Republicans overwhelmingly named the border and migrants as their prime problem, adopted by the financial system, mother and father’ rights and America’s fading clout on the world stage.
A ballot earlier this month by the Manhattan Institute produced related outcomes with 71% of New Hampshire’s Republican voters saying unlawful immigration on the southern border is a essential menace.
A voter who gave his identify solely as Archie informed The Times that he was satisfied the Biden administration opened the borders to let in folks prone to vote for Democrats.
“They’re just letting them in to get votes and that’s what it’s for. They can deny it all they want, but they’re letting this in to get votes from all these people,” mentioned Archie, 77. “They’re giving them free food, free food stamps, free health care and free rent. Everything is free.”
Although he voted for Mr. Trump in previous primaries, he mentioned he’s now deciding between Mr. Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
New Hampshire residents see their next-door neighbor Massachusetts, a sanctuary state, now struggling to maintain up with the circulate of migrants that arriving within the area.
Gov. Maura Healy, a Democrat, not too long ago declared a state of emergency due to the inflow of migrants searching for shelter at a time when the price of housing — already briefly provide — continues to rise.
Nearly 5,600 households or greater than 20,000 folks, a lot of whom are migrants, live in state shelters, together with infants, young children and pregnant girls. That’s an 80% enhance from final 12 months.
Ms. Healey has requested residents to open their properties to unlawful immigrants to assist ease the shelter-space disaster.
In New Hampshire’s gubernatorial race, GOP nominee Kelly Ayotte requested her Democratic opponent, Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, if she would comply with Massachusetts’ lead and ask folks to volunteer to accommodate unlawful immigrants.
“This is what New Hampshire will look like under her leadership,” Ms. Ayotte posted on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter. Ms. Craig didn’t reply.
Mr. Trump’s rivals within the GOP presidenital race have all adopted his get-tough method to unlawful immigration, however the ex-president stays the far-and-away frontrunner within the race. He was 24 factors forward of his closes challenger, Mr. DeSantis, within the Real Clear Politics common of latest polls in New Hampshire. The remainder of the sector was within the single digits within the polls.
Mr. DeSantis and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have informed New Hampshire voters that Mr. Trump promised to construct a wall however failed to complete constructing it. Every GOP contender, together with Mr. Trump, has promised to finish the wall.
Mr. Trump received the New Hampshire main in 2016 with 35% of the vote in opposition to a crowded area, sending him on his option to win the nomination after which the White House.
A New Hampshire voter who recognized himself solely as Dennis, a 73-year-old contractor, mentioned he supported Mr. Trump up to now and plans to assist him once more.
“I like his policies. I don’t like his attitude, but I like his policies,” he mentioned. “The Democrats don’t have any policies. They run around complaining about abortion. What about the border?”
Content Source: www.washingtontimes.com