Melissa Deckman, a political science professor at Washington College in Chestertown, sees an element of prejudice in the debate. "For a lot of Republican primary voters, it's a red-meat issue," she said. "There's a streak of nativism here - there is a different culture, a different language. You can't quantify it, but it's a part of the overall picture. It's a simplistic blame game."
Jeanne Lynch, a former Worcester County councilwoman, has been a frequent Gilchrest ally on environmental issues. She agreed that immigration weighs on the minds of voters this year.
"Getting tough on illegal immigration is not racist," Lynch said. "We're seeing our country dissolve. I don't think we have to give free education and free medical care in order to have a work force."
