I was covering McCain's presidential campaign at the time, and remember his political aides warning him that supporting what powerful GOP primary voters regarded as amnesty would likely hurt him. Rubio and his political advisers were fully aware of McCain's cautionary tale -- almost losing the GOP presidential nomination because of his fight for immigration reform. 2016 was set to be different for the GOP, but then came TrumpAs the 2016 GOP presidential primary race began several candidates -- especially early frontrunner, former Florida Gov. "I think most members would like to get the issue behind us," McCain insisted. The conservatives who got him elected are determined to make sure that never happens, and worry that immigration -- the issue that consistently splits the GOP -- is about to crack it open once again.

Source: CNN September 09, 2017 12:10 UTC