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Challengers hoping to tap into voter discontent over immigration

TOPEKA, Kan. - Jim Barnett, Nancy Boyda and David Haley come from different hometowns and different political parties, but they've all made illegal immigrants an issue as they attempt to dislodge well-established incumbents from office.

Barnett, an Emporia Republican, is challenging Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, suggesting she not only won't get tough with illegal immigrants but will coddle them.

Boyda, the Topeka Democrat taking on Republican Rep. Jim Ryun in the 2nd Congressional District, has argued that his support this year for tough border control legislation is doesn't make up for a decade of neglect on immigration issues.

Haley, a Kansas City Democrat, hopes to unseat Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh and has picked up arguments Thornburgh faced in the Republican primary - that he's been so lax about voter fraud that illegal immigrants might be voting.

It's all evidence of Kansans' frustration over illegal immigration, particularly from Mexico. It's fanned by concerns about the economy, fears about national security and, perhaps unfortunately, some racism.

Illegal immigration hasn't been an important issue in past contests for governor or other state offices. Even in congressional races, it has seemed secondary, except for the 3rd District race in 2004, where Republican challenger Kris Kobach emphasized it in his unsuccessful attempt to oust Democratic incumbent Dennis Moore.

The debate this past year in Washington undoubtedly has spurred voter interest. In fending off Barnett's criticism, Sebelius has said immigration is an issue because the federal government isn't dealing with it adequately.

"It starts with the border. That's where the problem lies," said Sebelius spokeswoman Nicole Corcoran. "Washington needs to step up."

Yet related policy issues for states allow Barnett to talk about immigration.

For example, Sebelius signed a law in 2004 to allow some illegal immigrants to qualify for the lower tuition rates reserved for legal Kansas residents at state universities and colleges, rather than paying the rates for out-of-state students.

The issue is perhaps more symbolic than substantive. An immigrant must have lived in Kansas at least three years and must either seek or promise to seek legal residence. Only 221 students took advantage of the law last year.

But it's nevertheless a powerful symbol of what's wrong for some Kansans.

"Illegal should mean illegal," Barnett said. "They are breaking the law, and the governor wants to reward them."

The question of whether illegal immigrants might be voting in Kansas elections touches both the governor's race and the secretary of state's.

Barnett criticizes Sebelius over her veto in 2003 of a bill that, among other things, would have required all voters to show identification at the polls. She favored a plan to require ID only from new voters, which passed the next year.

The Republican challenger argues that requiring ID from all voters will prevent illegal immigrants from voting, but Sebelius and her supporters that similar laws have been struck down by judges in Georgia and Missouri.

In the secretary of state's race, Haley's issue isn't so much having voters show ID as the care Thornburgh and other election officials have shown in monitoring who's registering to vote. He contends Thornburgh has been inattentive.

Thornburgh has said fears that illegal immigrants are voting are unfounded. He faced the same criticism from Sen. Kay O'Connor, of Olathe, in the GOP primary and captured 73 percent of the vote. He also defeated Haley soundly in 2002.

Perhaps the most intriguing political dynamic is in the 2nd District race, a rematch of the 2004 race.

Ryun supported legislation to toughen border security and subject illegal immigrants to felony charges. He's also said illegal immigration is high on his political agenda.

Yet he's lost the backing of some natural allies, former members of the Reform Party who followed independent presidential candidate Ross Perot in 1992 and 1996. They once hailed the GOP's takeover of Congress but now believe the Republican majority should be ousted for failing to deliver.

Among Boyda's biggest concerns is warning Kansans about a potential superhighway that could span from Mexico to Canada along the Interstate 35 corridor. Though state transportation officials say there are no plans for it in Kansas, Boyda points to a proposal in Texas and argues it would put a quarter-mile hole in border security.

Bob Beatty, a Washburn University political scientist, said Ryun may suffer politically simply because Congress hasn't solved illegal immigration.

"Her most effective campaign ploy at the moment is to remind people that he's in the majority," he said.

Meanwhile, Barnett, Boyda and Haley are likely to continue raising immigration issues.

"It's crossing ideological and party lines now," said Beatty said. "It makes the people in power vulnerable because they haven't yet figured out how to solve this problem out of Washington."