Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY) recently ignited a firestorm during an appearance on Fox56 by labeling Republicans who advocate for a complete pause on immigration until mass deportations are completed as “nativists.” The pejorative term, rarely used in mainstream political discourse, was employed by Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential campaign. How will this play in the race to replace McConnell in the Senate?
The Congressman’s comments came amid a question on border security and immigration policy. Barr’s rhetoric took a controversial turn when addressing Kentucky’s agriculture and hospitality sectors, particularly the horse industry, which rely on legal guest worker programs. He argued for streamlining these programs to meet economic needs, then criticized those opposing all immigration, stating, “Some of these nativists, frankly, are directly at odds with the agriculture sector in Kentucky.” He added, “We are a nation of immigrants”.
The term “nativists” drew immediate attention, not only for its derogatory tone but also for its similarity to language used by Clinton in 2016, when she described some Trump supporters as a “basket of deplorables” characterized by “xenophobic” and “nativist” sentiments during a September 2016 fundraiser speech. Clinton’s remarks, widely criticized as dismissive of working-class voters, were seen as a factor in her electoral loss.
Andy Barr seemed visibly uncomfortable during this portion of the interview. His response was marked by frequent verbal hesitations and a flushed appearance that wasn’t as prevalent during his other question responses. He seems to be struggling to reconcile his moderate stance with the expectations of Trump’s base and Trump’s own shifting immigration policy. I have said from the start of Andy Barr’s campaign for the Senate that he would struggle with these kinds of slip ups. That is what happens when a candidate is actually a centrist but is trying to run as some sort of ultra-conservative. Mistakes are made with vernacular and word choices, and his political instincts are not in line with who he is pretending to be
By: Andrew Cooperrider