Sen. John McCain is well-known for his progressive position on immigration reform—a position that has put him at odds with many in his home state. Now, a recent Time magazine piece looks at how the “conservative” revolt against the Republican presidential candidate in Arizona (and to a lesser extent nationwide) reveals the state GOP’s deep divisions over illegal immigration.

While most of Arizona’s congressional delegation supported McCain’s comprehensive immigration reform (which included a path to citizenship), a noisier faction personified by state Rep. Russell Pearce (R.-Mesa) is pushing back. Pearce is running for state Senate after a contentious primary battle with an establishment-backed moderate Republican, whom Pearce beat with 70 percent of the vote.

Pearce’s wide margin of victory has no doubt frightened McCain and the established, business-allied Arizona GOP. From Time:

McCain allies characterize this grass-roots wing of the party as slightly unhinged. Former Phoenix mayor Skip Rimsza likes to call the anti-McCain conservatives “CAVE” men (Citizens Against Virtually Everything).

But Pearce’s conservative populists seem to be the wave of the future in Arizona. It seems the birthplace of Prop. 200 will be a major immigration battleground long into the future.

(AP Photo)