Big GOP Donors Want Immigration Reform

So says Chris Cillizza and Sean Sullivan in The Washington Post.

The Republican party faces a dilemma. The Senate — with the help of 14 Republicans — passed an immigration reform plan on Thursday. The Republican-controlled House has pledged not to even take that proposal up, opting instead for the possibility of their own plan later this summer or sometime this fall.

One voice lost in this battle over what the right, next move is on immigration for the party? The major donors of the party who serve as the bundlers of presidential campaigns and the funders of super PACs. And, those big check-writers have a very clear preference: They want a deal done.

Why are major Republican donors eager to go against GOP orthodoxy on immigration?

“Thoughtful people in the donor community fully recognize that our Republican Party is seen by many as intolerant, and that we will never again win a national election unless we embrace policies more appealing to the large, growing, and influential group of Hispanics in our country,” said Fred Malek, a major GOP donor and fundraiser for the party.  Malek’s sentiment was expressed repeatedly in conversations we had over the past 48 hours with both big GOP givers and those who run in the world of those sorts of donors.  The prime reason for the support for immigration reform among well-heeled givers? Political pragmatism.

“It’s not just about appealing to Hispanic voters, though that’s important,” said Steven Law, president and CEO of American Crossroads, the largest conservative super PAC in 2010 and 2012. ”There’s a concern among major donors that the party is starting to seem out of touch in an increasingly diverse and dynamic America.”