Immigration not a weak spot for McCain in Florida

PALM BEACH, Florida (Reuters) An elderly woman with a quavering voice asks the first question at a rally for Republican Senator John McCain in Palm Beach on Thursday: "What are you going to do about the porous border?"

Border security and what to do with about 12 million immigrants living illegally in the shadows in the United States have become hot-button issues, particularly among Republicans choosing a candidate for November's presidential election.

McCain's support for a comprehensive approach to immigration reform has set the Arizona senator apart from his main rivals, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who take a more hard-line stance.

McCain has taken heat from the other candidates in national debates over his position. But all the indicators are that the issue, while close to voters minds in Florida, is not hurting McCain's bid for the Republican party nomination in the state's primary on Tuesday.

Florida will be the most diverse state to vote so far in the primary process, with Hispanics making up around one in five of the 18 million residents.

Analysts and voters say McCain's support for secure borders, a guestworker program and a "compassionate" approach to illegal immigration, has resonated, particularly in south Florida, which has a broad Latino community.

"The Cubans are for McCain down in Miami, they love him ... and a lot of moderates are behind him," said Joanne Stringer, a retired banker attending a rally in swank Palm Beach.

ECONOMY A TOP PRIORITY

A new Miami Herald poll showed a tight two-way race in Florida, whose nominating primary on Tuesday is the final test before "Super Tuesday" on February 5 when more than 20 states hold primaries that could decide which Republican and Democratic candidates will contest the November 4 election.

The Herald poll, taken January 20-22 but released on Thursday, showed McCain with 25 percent of the Republican vote, putting him in a statistical tie with Romney who had 23 percent of likely Republican voters.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has staked his campaign on Florida, trailed with 15 percent support -- down from 36 percent in a Herald poll in November. That puts him tied with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Political analysts say a surge of concern over the U.S. economy in recent days -- where a housing downturn has been compounded by jittery markets -- has also benefited McCain in Florida.

"Potentially immigration could have hurt him really badly, if it had been the focus of the Republican campaign at this time," said Kevin Wagner, a political scientist at Florida Atlantic University.

"Right now, Floridians are very much focused on economics, property taxes and a downturn in housing ... that helps McCain a little bit ... and going forward in the general election," he added.