News-Record.com

In almost any other year this would be a fairly run of the mill fact finding trip for public officials.

But the sojourn comes as Jeffus, a Democrat, faces a re-election challenge from Republican Jim Rumley in a rematch of their 2004 battle for House District 59.

In large part due to a lack of federal action on the topic, immigration – in particular how to deal with illegal immigration – has become a frequently discussed issue in North Carolina House races this year.

“I think the population of immigrants, whether legal or illegal, is going to be here for a while and we need to have a good understanding of them and why they’re here,” Jeffus said.

Rumley takes a less charitable view of the trip.

“Why go to Mexico to find out ways of better serving the Mexican nationals who are here – and I would say if Mexican nationals are here most of them are here illegally” Rumley said. “If you’re going to go to understand how to serve the people of North Carolina, let’s figure out how to better serve the residents who are here legally and who are providing the tax base for state government.”

The two positions are typical of what broadly can be characterized as two sides in the immigration debate here.

Rumley falls into a strict law and order camp that paints anything other than deportation for undocumented workers as soft on immigration. For example, he says that hospitals that treat illegal workers should be required to report them to authorities.

Jeffus falls into the second camp, which favors sanction for undocumented workers and those who employ them, but takes a more forgiving approach. For example, Jeffus supported legislation that would have allowed children of undocumented workers to have in-state tuition at UNC system schools in exchange for a promise of working toward legal citizenship.

Rumley finds that idea outrageous.

“Why would we make it easier for folks who have come here illegally to put their children in our universities and college at a lower rate than we charge for people who live next door in Virginia or South Carolina?” he said.

Jeffus said that she still thinks the tuition bill is a good idea, but that it won’t be heard again in the 2007 session. The debate, she said, is still to shrill.

“It almost reminds me a little bit ... of the years back in the 1950s, 60s and 70s when we were trying to integrate the schools,” she said.

On other issues, Jeffus and Rumley are also split. For example, Rumley advocates lifting the state's 100-school cap on the number of charter schools. Jeffus says that charters are largely unproven and the cap should remain.

From a purely tactical standpoint, most aspects of the district favor Jeffus. Registered Democrats make up nearly 51 percent of registered voters, compared to only 30 percent Republicans. Jeffus beat Rumley handily in 2004, with 57 percent of the vote.

The biggest shift on the ground may be the nature of this year’s election itself. With no presidential or statewide contenders on partisan tickets, Republicans like Rumley believe they have a better shot at winning crossover voters.

“I think I can get a broad cross section of folks throughout Guilford County,” Rumley said.

For her part, Jeffus said she is running as hard as before. This time she is concentrating on portions of the district that extend into unincorporated areas of Guilford County, outside her traditional base in Central Greensboro.

Audio links
The following audio was recorded during sit-down interviews in this month. I met Jeffus at her home in Greensboro, Rumley met me at the News & Record’s offices in downtown Greensboro. (Note: the audio with Jeffus is a bit faint.)

• I spoke with both candidates regarding their views on the immigration debate. With both, I started with a question about a proposal to give in-state tuition to the children of undocumented workers. Click here to listen to Jeffus’ answers. Click here to listen to Rumley’s take on immigration.
• I asked both candidates about House Speaker Jim Black, who has been at the center of a series of stories regarding the pay-to-play culture of the General Assembly. Click here to listen to Jeffus say she’ll stand on her record. Click here to listen to Rumley say a vote for Jeffus is essentially an endorsement of Black.

About the candidates

Maggie Jeffus
Party: Democrat
Age: 71
Address: Rolling Road, Greensboro.
Family: Married, two children, five grandchildren
Education: Bachelor’s degree in education, Guilford College; master’s degree in education, UNCG.
Professional: Retired teacher
Political experience: House member, 1991-1994 and 1997 to present.
Civic leadership: Women’s Resource Center Board, 2002-2006; Fun Fourth Advisory Board, 1995-present; N.C. Humanities Advisory Board, 1989--present; N.C. Foundation for Public School Children board member, 1999-present.
Website: www.maggiejeffus.org

Jim Rumley
Party: Republican
Age: 49
Address: Friendship Church Road, Browns Summit
Family: Married, two children.
Education: Graduate N.E. Guilford High School; real-estate management diploma, Alamance Community College; management certificate, GTCC.
Professional: Independent real-estate broker.
Elective experience: None, ran against Jeffus in 2004.
Civic leadership: Member Guilford County Parks and Recreation Commission and liaison to Greensboro Parks and Recreation Commission; board member and treasurer, Northeast Guilford Volunteer Fire Department; life member of Greensboro Jaycees; 19 years enlisted and NCO in Marine Corps reserve.
Website:www.jimrumley.com