Mitt Romney picked wrong side of immigration fight—60% of Republicans agree with Newt Gingrich

Earlier today, I wrote about two new polls showing that Mitt Romney's attempt to attack Newt Gingrich over immigration had backfired: More than three times as many likely caucus-goers in Iowa now prefer Gingrich on immigration over Romney. At the heart of Romney's attack was his claim that Newt Gingrich's opposition to deporting long-term undocumented immigrants amounted to "amnesty" and that amnesty should be opposed at all costs. A plurality of Republicans in Iowa rejected Romney's view, and according to the latest Daily Kos/SEIU State of the Nation Poll, a clear majority of Republicans reject it as well.

Do you think people who have immigrated to the United States illegally but have lived here 25 years, have paid taxes, and have obeyed the law should be deported or not?

All
Should be deported: 20
Should not: 69

Republicans
Should be deported: 27
Should not: 60

Conservatives
Should be deported: 29
Should not: 56

Tea party supporters
Should be deported: 31
Should not: 54

So while there are a disturbing number of Republicans willing to deport people who have lived here for years and years, the vast majority of them share Gingrich's position. Even most conservatives and tea party supporters support Gingrich's view. Moral of the story: Mitt Romney thought Republican voters were bigger neanderthals than they turned out to be.