4 NOVEMBER 2020

Michigan Voters Dismiss Anti-Immigrant Trump Pupil, Paul Junge, in Favor of Elissa Slotkin 

MICHIGAN - Following news of Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin (MI-08) victory over Republican candidate Paul Junge, Tyler Moran, Executive Director of the Immigration Hub, issued the following statement: 

“Junge employed the Trumpian anti-immigrant strategy and faltered just like Mike Bishop before him. In a repeat of 2018, Slotkin - who supports Dreamers and immigration reform with a path to citizenship - defeated Republican fear-based narratives, pegging her as having a ‘radical’ approach to immigration. Voters in Slotkin’s district - which had flipped to Trump in 2016 - refused to be baited by xenophobic dog whistles.” 

Junge Echoed Trump Despite 2018 Lessons

Junge served at USCIS under Trump, where according to the president, he apparently played a role in “securing the border”. He brought the issue of immigration into the spotlight of the race, attacking Slotkin on her votes in favor of COVID relief legislation that included provisions to ensure that all families had access to testing and financial relief. The Junge campaign repeatedly deployed Trump’s signature anti-sanctuary and “radical left” messaging against the congresswoman. Slotkin is no stranger to anti-immigrant charges. In 2018, Republican candidate Mike Bishop attempted to make the same arguments and failed. 

Once a GOP stronghold, Congresswoman Slotkin’s district, particularly in the suburbs, is now reverberating the American public’s dismissal of xenophobic, anti-immigrant narratives. Throughout the cycle, Rep. Slotkin remained steadfast in her support of Dreamers and immigration reform.

Despite the 2018 results and recent findings, Junge failed to acknowledge that the sentiment on the issue among the state’s swing voters has been shifting and influencing vote choice:

  • A late October survey, conducted by Change Research, tested OneNation’s ad attacking Senator Gary Peters on sanctuary cities. The ad not only failed to convince voters and preached to the converted, but it alienated more voters than it won over. The survey also found that 71% of Michiganders think that the United States should create a pathway for undocumented immigrants to earn legal status and citizenship, while 27% disagree. 

  • A recent Immigration Hub ad test among Michigan swing voters, conducted by BlueLabs, revealed that the president’s record on immigration moved voters away from President Trump and towards Joe Biden. In fact, a head-to-head, Joe Biden gains votes on his vision for immigration against Trump’s ad.

  • A new poll — which interviewed 1,022 registered voters — echoed past research: 59% of Michigan voters agree that an economic recovery bill should include a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrant workers who have been essential to the pandemic response. Nearly two-thirds of voters (63%) prefer citizenship over deportation (29%). 

  • Immigration Hub’s voter study, conducted by Civis Analytics, identified nearly 6 million voters across Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Colorado that move to vote against Trump when exposed to pro-immigration messaging. The most persuadable voters were primarily suburban, white, not college-educated, and male -- the same voters Trump was banking on.

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The Immigration Hub is a national organization dedicated to advancing fair and just immigration policies through strategic leadership, innovative communications strategies, legislative advocacy and collaborative partnerships.