Four Republicans are competing for the chance to run against incumbent Sen. Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) in the general election. Torricelli will run unopposed in his party's June primary.
Though he has no primary challenges, Torricelli may face a Senate ethics probe, after allegedly helping one of his fund-raisers secure lucrative business deals in Korea.
The Republican candidates range from conservative to moderate.
Jim Treffinger, considered by many observers the front-runner in the primary race, has repeatedly called attention to Torricelli's campaign finance abuses, but recently admitted that he himself broke the rules as a result of an "accounting error," going over spending limits in his failed 2000 Senate bid.
As part of the ongoing discussion of the war on terrorism, the candidates have staked out views on immigration policy.
Torricelli said he supports the Bush administration's new rule on immigration, which requires applicants for student visas from countries that support terrorism to undergo a background check during a mandatory 21-day waiting period. "People with legitimate reasons to be here, who are legitimate students, shouldn't be rejected simply because of the country they come from," a Torricelli spokesman said.
Charlie Smith '86, Treffinger's campaign manager, said Treffinger "would support rejecting any visa from an individual from a country that supports or abets terrorism," and that he supports sending home all nationals of these nations, even those who those who are currently enrolled in at an institution of higher education.
Treffinger feels the Immigration and Naturalization Service is not doing a good job monitoring outstanding visas and should be overhauled, Smith said.
Treffinger's strongest opposition within the party is N.J. State Sen. Diane Allen, a former Philadelphia newscaster. Allen is unusually liberal for a Republican, favoring abortion rights and opposing the death penalty. Allen's campaign manager said she has yet to take a position on the issue of student visas.
Treffinger has called Allen "too liberal" for New Jersey. He favors a 24-hour waiting period for abortions and laws requiring parental notification when minors have abortions, but would not reject pro-choice Supreme Court nominees solely on their abortion stance, Smith said.
State Sen. John Matheussen and Mercer County millionaire Douglas Forrester are also in the running for the GOP nomination.
Matheussen is considered by many to be the most conservative candidate in the race, making him an unlikely victor in the general election. Neither were available for comment on the student visa issue.
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