Perry Endorsed By Arpaio, Romney By Former DREAM Act Supporters

Today Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry was endorsed by hardline Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Mitt Romney by three prominent Latino Republicans in Florida. All of this, of course, in light of Romney’s recent revised stance on immigration — the most extreme immigration stance ever by a GOP presidential candidate.

What makes these endorsements even more interesting is that one of Romney’s Florida supporters, former Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, was the co-author of the original DREAM Act, while Reps. Ileana Ros Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart were co-sponsors of the DREAM Act.

Which is to say, not only did Romney have a softer immigration stance before he went all “let’s throw ’em out,” but so did his supporters (with the exception of Arpaio, of course).

The flip-flopping on immigration and other anti-Latino policies of Romney is something we’ve written before, but what seems very strange in this news is how formerly pro-DREAM Act supporters will now support a candidate who slams that legislation. Perry’s endorsement also, points to what would likely be a trend in 2012: Republicans formerly moderate/soft immigration moving to the right in order to support their party’s candidate.