Trump's immigration views cast shadow on Virginia race

(AP) — President Donald Trump's hardline position on immigration is casting a long shadow over Virginia's race for governor, with candidates in both parties adjusting their focus to more closely match or oppose the president.

The contest is potential preview of the 2018 midterms, and the growing influence of immigrant voters — particularly in voter rich Northern Virginia — mirror similar changes in other parts of the country that will hold elections next year.

Democrats Ralph Northam and Tom Perriello are promising fierce resistance to Trump's immigration positions and are embracing policies such as allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses.

Northam said in a 2011 debate for state Senate that undocumented immigrants can be "somewhat of a burden" on society and while Perriello, a former congressman, advocated in 2010 for policies that would lead them to "self-deport."

The shift in tone reflects that Democrats no longer feel that they have to play defense, said University of Mary Washington political science professor Stephen Farnsworth.

[...] a candidate, Gillespie has vowed to be "very strong" on immigration enforcement, promising greater cooperation between Virginia law enforcement officials and federal immigration officers.