In recent days the Obama administration has gained an unexpected ally in the push for immigration reform: his 2008 electoral opponent John McCain. The senator, along with his new political ally Democrat Chuck Schumer, returned from a meeting at the White House with a apparent sense of optimism, something rarely seen in Washington these days. Commenting on the meeting, McCain made it clear that a path to citizenship was a key component to solving the country's inescapable immigration challenge.
This act of bipartisanship comes at a time when Senate Republican leadership is becoming factionalized. While Senator Mitch McConnell still holds sway over many of the chamber's Republicans, McCain and his group of supporters, which includes Sens. Lindsay Graham and Lamar Alexander, are seeking an alternative to the Minority Leader's opposition based way of legislating. McConnell, wary of his looming reelection campaign in 2014, is unlikely to follow McCain's lead and adopt a more bipartisan position.
As McCain inches closer to his former position as Upper Chamber magnate, it is very possible that an increased number of bipartisan deals will be reached on the Senate floor in the coming months. The Senator has the optimum number of colleagues behind him to block filibusters that would prevent him from building his immigration legacy and is showing no signs of putting a stop to the brand of deal making that he become known for.
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