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Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Murphy is trying to turn illegal immigration into a winning campaign issue, but political observers don't see it as playing big for him in Maryland.

"Illegal immigration is immoral," Murphy told about 80 supporters gathered Aug. 24 in the basement of an American Legion hall in Rockville. "It devalues citizenship. There is a process to obtain citizenship. Cutting in line is un-American."

Those were similar lines to what he said at his first immigration forum on Aug. 19 in Frederick with Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins (R).

Jenkins, whom Murphy calls a "hero," is the only sheriff or police chief in the state who has taken part in a federal program known as 287-G, through which law enforcement officers are trained to check the immigration status of those arrested and refer them to Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities.

"As your governor, we'll make sure 287-G is enforced statewide," Murphy said.

Murphy is stumping across the state with Jenkins, who endorsed Murphy against former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. in the Sept. 14 Republican primary.

"We're supposed to believe Ehrlich is the only one who can beat [Maryland Gov. Martin] O'Malley," Jenkins said at the Rockville event. "Really? The only one who can beat O'Malley is the one he defeated four years ago?"

Illegal immigration might resonate with some voters across the nation, but in Maryland it is not a big issue, said Richard E. Vatz, a professor of political rhetoric at Towson University.

"Bob Ehrlich has taken a position that we should be concerned about illegal immigration, but he hasn't taken radical steps on that," Vatz said. "The bottom line for Mr. Murphy is even with the support of Sarah Palin, he's only up to 13 percent of Republican voters.

"It does not appear the immigration issue will bring the large support of Republican voters. He may get stronger support from right-wing Republicans, but it's not the bellwether issue that will change a large number of voters from Bob Ehrlich."

Despite his recent past as a Democrat — until about five years ago — Murphy is seen as having a future in Republican politics if he doesn't damage his reputation in the race against Ehrlich, Vatz said.

Running to Ehrlich's "far right" on immigration might play in a Republican primary, but it would not in a general election in a state where many residents were immigrants or know immigrants, said Kim Propeack, Casa of Maryland's director of community organizing and political action.

"If [Murphy] thinks that's a viable strategy, it's certainly true Ehrlich's record is attackable from the right," Propeack said. "He was governor during those Republican heydays when there were some Republicans concerned about the future and wanted to try to appeal to different demographic groups."

In a general election matchup between Ehrlich and O'Malley, immigration is unlikely to play much of an issue, Propreack said.

"Ironically, their records are somewhat closer than people would think," Propreack said.

"O'Malley implemented Real ID when Ehrlich didn't do so, and we think that's a loss to the state," Propreack said. "O'Malley shut down access to a drivers license, so now there are more unlicensed drivers on the road." Real ID was a federal law that set standards on state-issued drivers licenses, in part to keep illegal immigrants from obtaining them.

Ehrlich vetoed a bill to allow the children of immigrants living in Maryland to pay in-state tuition, but O'Malley has not signed it into law either, she said.

However, Ehrlich's stated views now sound much more in opposition to immigration than they did when he first took office as governor, Propreack said.

Much of the Republican Party also has grown increasingly hostile to immigration and illegal immigration, even claiming children of immigrants born in the country are "terror babies," Propreack said.

"When I first started lobbying in Annapolis a decade ago, you could still talk to Republicans about immigration," Propreack said. "There's virtually not a single Republican you can have a reasonable conversation with about immigration within the General Assembly."

cford@gazette.net