Cannon and Jacob face off on television

PROVO — Eight days now remain until the June 27 Republican primary, and KUTV reporter Rod Decker wasn't overstating the facts when he moderated a televised debate Sunday between 3rd District Congressional candidates Chris Cannon and John Jacob and called it "the hottest race in Utah right now."

Both campaigns have saved their best for last, aware that most voters don't pay a lot of attention until the final week or two of a race. Television ads are rare in Utah congressional contests, but they appear inevitable right now, with each camp prepared to air some if they are deemed necessary.

Cannon and Jacob certainly have been able to focus on the issues, but illegal immigration continued to monopolize the discussion during Sunday's debate.

Jacob again tried to attach Cannon to the immigration-reform bill in the U.S. Senate, which has drawn the ire of conservatives, saying a vote for Cannon would lead to Social Security payments to illegal immigrants. Cannon repeated his position against the Senate bill and said he had refused to sponsor its companion bill in the House.

Both called for increased border security, but Cannon also emphasized a reformed immigration system that would provide the workers needed by American businesses with the added security of knowing who is here and where they are through a national database.

"We need to bring illegals out of the shadows," Cannon said.

He said some of the 12 million illegal immigrants already in the United States should "absolutely" be allowed to stay as temporary workers.

Jacob said every one of them would need to leave before they could get a temporary worker visa.

"If we leave them here, there will be 60 million illegal immigrants," said Jacob, who previously has used the figure 50 million, because others tired of waiting for a visa from the broken American system will be emboldened by the possibility of being allowed to stay if they immigrate illegally.

Cannon acknowledged that it appeared all might have to leave before they could get a visa, but he said a massive loss of workers would damage the economy, including Social Security, which benefits from millions of dollars paid into it by workers who can never draw the money back out.

"Do we disrupt the economy by sending them out of the country (for an extended period), or is it a day or week?" Cannon asked.

Jacob said he would give a Disneyland-style FastPass to illegal immigrants who had been in the United States for 10 or 20 years or more and have an otherwise clear record.