Even the events of the weekend couldn't stop Rep. Steve King from expressing his displeasure with being passed over for the House immigration subcommittee chairmanship:
The public reason for King's demotion was a reorganization of the committee. The post was given to Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Calif., a senior member to King who is considered conservative enough on immigration to satisfy tea party Republicans but not as outspoken as King. But it was also clear from GOP aides that House leaders worried about King and his tendency to press on immigration issues that angered more moderate members of his own party.
"John Boehner isn't very aggressive on immigration," King said, noting that the GOP "Pledge to America" barely mentions immigration or border security. "It's the tiniest section," he said.
If anything, the decision to pass over King indicates the GOP is serious--instead of having a spokesperson like King prone to making outrageous statements about immigration they have someone whose positions on policy matters are almost indistinguishable but who isn't known for making incendiary racial remarks. Gallegly is a restrictionist who opposes birthright citizenship and was the author of a controversial amendment to bar states from providing public education to undocumented immigrants in 1996, way before Republicans became uniform in their hostility to immigration reform.
Gallegly's as harsh as King on immigration, he just doesn't have a reputation as a person who says crazy things. If you're serious about pursuing an enforcement-only agenda, it only makes sense that you'd choose someone who isn't self-discrediting.
