Fred DuVal, the presumptive Democratic nominee in Arizona's gubernatorial race, has joined the chorus of politicians -- many of them Republicans -- in calling for President Obama to visit the border.
DuVal certainly isn't the only Democrat calling on Obama to make this border visit in the wake of the influx of Central American children arriving at the southern border, which the president has referred to as a "humanitarian crisis." Obama has said that he's well aware of what's going on at the border, and doesn't need to make a visit for a "photo op."
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-Fred DuVal Is Running for Governor
DuVal released a statement on the crisis last night that you wouldn't be surprised to hear out of any of the GOP candidates for governor:
"I'm glad the president continues to speak out, but the reality is that the federal government - administration after administration - has failed to secure our border, and Arizona has been left with the tab and a humanitarian crisis of more than 1,200 children housed in concrete warehouses near Nogales. Congress refuses to fix our broken immigration system by passing the reform law that Arizona and America need - and we need it right now.It's not like Arizona's last Democratic governor, Janet Napolitano, was an über-lefty on the immigration front either.
"Mr. President, I'm not interested in photo-ops either, but we have a crisis on our hands and we need immediate action. I'd like our Senators, John McCain and Jeff Flake, to bring you down to Nogales to see firsthand what Arizona is dealing with."
We haven't heard much from DuVal on immigration. Granted, he doesn't need to say too much right now during his one-man primary race, but immigration isn't among the issues on DuVal's website, which includes plans for advancing the economy, continuing to reform Child Protective Services, ethics reform in state government, proposed expansion of veterans-assistance programs, and a new focus on funding education in Arizona.
DuVal did however comment earlier this week on Governor Jan Brewer's driver's license ban for those participating in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, calling it "callous" and "an embarrassment," and hailing the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' decision to block Brewer's executive order.
So DuVal's not exactly eating scorpions for breakfast either.
Naturally, each of the GOP candidates for governor have had harsher words for the Obama Administration on immigration.
As the race to be Arizona's next governor continues, and the six Republican candidates keep battling it out for their party's nomination, DuVal's campaign has saved up more campaign cash than anyone else in the race.
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