GOP front-runner Christie touts New Jersey Dream Act

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, the Republican front-runner for the 2016 presidential nomination and the only Republican hopeful who does not get trounced by Hillary Clinton in 2016 polls, has done it again by working to pass and now touting a version of the Dream Act for New Jersey.

Christie’s move toward immigration reform perfectly illustrates why he has more appeal to Hispanic voters than any other national Republican.

{mosads}It perfectly illustrates why Christie is by far the most formidable potential Republican nominee in 2016 and may be the only one who could avoid a landslide defeat. It perfectly illustrates why Christie carried the Hispanic vote in his reelection campaign. It perfectly illustrates why Christie in some presidential polls has moved ahead of Clinton.

The Christie immigration move is powerful evidence that immigration reform has a greater chance of becoming law in 2014 than most analysts expect. Do House Republicans want to alienate Hispanic voters further before midterm elections?

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is moving his Republican Conference to the left on immigration, though for now he will only accept a piecemeal approach. But Christie’s immigration law could well move Republicans further to the left on immigration, or toward another nasty intraparty fight.

How far will Christie go when immigration takes center stage in Washington this year? It is hard to predict. Will he back off, or advance further toward national immigration reform? We shall see.

What we know is this: Christie is the GOP front-runner in 2016. Christie runs even to ahead of Clinton in presidential polls. She trounces other Republican candidates by large margins.

And now Christie is taking an advanced position for the Dream Act that contrasts sharply with the far right of the GOP. Christie is the man to watch in presidential politics. His evolving position on immigration will have major influence in Congress and could be pivotal in the 2014 elections.