I keep hearing that the spineless Republicans in the Senate are going to buckle at the knees and sign on to Ted Kennedy's amnesty plan despite the fact that it will be wildly unpopular. Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, a state won by John Kerry in the last election,

Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta, who gained national prominence by targeting illegal immigrants living in his small northeastern Pennsylvania city, cruised to the Republican nomination for a third term on Tuesday - and unexpectedly won the Democratic nomination, too.

Barletta trounced GOP challenger Dee Deakos with nearly 94 percent of the vote. And he beat former Mayor Michael Marsicano for the Democratic nomination by staging a last-minute write-in campaign, all but guaranteeing himself another term, unofficial returns showed.

"I think the message is clear," Barletta said. "The people of Hazleton want me to keep fighting for them."

The Republican mayor said Democrats kept telling him they wished they could vote for him in the primary. So, about a week ago, he mailed instructions to Democratic voters on how to write in his name.

Marsicano, a retired airline pilot who was Hazleton's mayor from 1996 to 1999, had appeared alone on the Democratic ballot.

Barletta, a businessman who took office in 2000, proposed the Illegal Immigration Relief Act last year after four illegal immigrants were charged with shooting and killing a man.

The measure, on hold due to a legal challenge by Hispanic groups and individuals, was approved last summer and emulated by towns and cities around the nation. It would penalize landlords who rent to illegal immigrants and businesses that hire them."

If you believe open borders crowd Republicans in the Senate, the American people want the Senate to bend over backwards to welcome illegal aliens to the country. But, out in the real world, far outside of the insulated bubble DC Republicans live in, Republicans are winning 94% of the vote by doing their best to prevent illegal aliens from getting a place to live in the United States.

But, keep listening to the Wall Street Journal, Ted Kennedy, and Mr. 33% approval rating in the White House on this issue, fellas, and maybe the Democrats will have a filibuster-proof majority after the 2008 election is over.