Quote from AAAintheBeltway:
One issue holds tremendous peril for the Republicans, immigration. Bush angered a lot of the party's core supporters by backing an amnesty plan, which also had the backing of the Senate. With Democrats running the House, an amnesty plan could likely pass both houses and land on Bush's desk. That would be a disaster of cataclysmic proportions for the Republicans.
Bush would likely sign such a bill, as he supported it before he decided Kerry-like that he actually opposed it.
In that event, an awful lot of Republican voters will feel totally sold out. Since they can't direct their anger at Bush, they will pick the next closest target, John McCain, who is a big supporter of amnesty. That could have the effect of destroying the chances of the Republicans' best hope for '08. Somehow McCain needs to convince some hard core conservatives in the Senate to filibuster this bill, even as he makes a show of supporting it.
You are right on the money, but not just for Republicans....for our entire country. This issue will rot this nation from the inside out and is a far greater threat than radical Islam. I would guess this single issue cost Republicans many seats, just by true conservatives that stayed home. This shit is gonna' get ugly.