INSIDE DEMOCRATS’ PIVOT ON BORDER RHETORIC Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) once described the border wall as “a racist monument” and called for it to be torn down. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) called it “stupid” and “useless.” Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) said a wall across the entire border would be “a gross waste of money.” Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.) called it “a silly idea.” But all four Democrats — and several others who once opposed it — are using footage of the wall in their TV advertising this fall as they tout their commitment to border security and willingness to crack down on illegal immigration. That pivot from border critic to at least tacitly embracing the construction of a wall underscores a broader shift among swing-seat Democrats, as the party tries to neutralize Republican attacks on immigration policy. The issue has taken center stage in recent election cycles, particularly in TV ads where GOP candidates and outside groups accuse Democrats of supporting open borders and use footage of immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in droves. Swing-seat Democrats have tried to flip the script this cycle, pointing to their support of a bipartisan immigration bill that former President Donald Trump opposed and Senate Republicans tanked. Democrats have used that episode to argue the GOP is not serious about solving the problem, and Republicans are countering by throwing their past positions back at them. How it’s playing in the Texas Senate race: An ad for Democratic Rep. Colin Allred reminded voters that he joined “Republicans to condemn Biden’s handling of the border” while Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) didn’t support “a good plan backed by sheriffs and border officers,” a reference to the bipartisan immigration bill. The ad repeatedly shows footage of the border wall, which Allred once vocally opposed. And Pennsylvania: “I took on my own party to oppose sanctuary cities and deport immigrants who commit crimes because it's absolutely necessary for America to work,” said Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.), as his ad showed footage of the wall. But he, like some of his Democratic colleagues, voted for a 2019 amendment that would have banned disaster funding from being used toward the construction of a border wall. And North Carolina: “It’s one thing to talk a big game,” said Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.) in a TV ad where he stands in front of the border wall. “It's another to act, to do something, to actually go to the border, not once or twice, but three times.” Davis also supported that amendment. They’re not alone: Other Democrats who have used border wall footage in TV ads this cycle and either taken votes or spoken out against the wall in the past: Reps. Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.), Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Val Hoyle (D-Ore.). The Democratic defense: Many of these members can point to votes on other immigration and budget bills that would have funded the wall — as well as detailed explanations for any votes against it. Davis said in a floor speech that his 2023 vote against H.R. 2, which would have restarted construction of the border wall, was driven by his fear that it would hurt farmers. (Nearly every House Democrat voted against that broad border bill when it was put for a vote in May.) Golden has voted for measures that would fund the wall but backed the 2019 amendment because he didn’t believe it was appropriate to move funds that were meant for people recovering from disasters, a person close to Golden told Inside Congress. In 2019, Golden, Cartwright and Wild were among the Democrats who voted for an appropriations bill that gave the U.S. Customs and Border Protection $1.38 billion to build fencing on the border. In statements, many Democratic campaigns said they were never against funding a physical barrier or that their opposition was only toward building a wall that spans the entire border rather than just at strategic points. Others have said that their positions toward stronger border security have shifted along with the people that they represent. Tester and Gallego, who are both running in heated Senate campaigns, also said via spokespeople that they support increased technology and manpower to secure the border. Monica Robinson, the spokesperson for Tester, who is one of the GOP’s top Senate targets, even specifically said that he backs a “physical barrier.” But the fact that Republicans are weaponizing these votes and comments — and Democrats have found themselves defending them — demonstrates the potency immigration has assumed on the campaign trail. And the GOP feels it has a clear edge. “Like an arsonist complaining about fire damage, Democrats opened the border, opposed the wall, and are now trying to run away from their record,” said Jack Pandol, a spokesperson for House Republicans’ campaign arm. — Ally Mutnick and Daniella Diaz
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