CQ Weekly's southern star Craig Crawford opines this week that immigration could provide the Democrats with a shot at electoral success in the near future. He notes, for instance, that while Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) "risked the ire of Hispanic leaders in her party by backing Real ID,"

Most Democrats are not as open as Clinton to irritating their base among Hispanics, whose large and growing numbers make them the most volatile demographic group in the immigration debate.

Yet Clinton is on to something. She tied worries about immigration to the terror threat. This could be the rhetorical basis for Democrats to appeal to voters upset about the influx of illegal workers — without appearing ethnically or racially prejudiced, a frequent charge against those who try to restrict immigration.

Although Hispanic leaders are quick to deride conservative views on immigration, opinion polls of Hispanics suggest that Democrats may not risk as much as they fear in adopting a tougher policy. A Gallup survey last year found that a plurality, 39 percent, of Hispanic voters believed the level of immigration should be decreased.

With Republicans torn by Bush’s moderate stance, Democrats could find fertile hunting ground in Sun Belt states by moving to the right on immigration.

With Hispanics rapidly becoming the largest voting minority in the nation, it might be foolish for Dems to alienate them by turning right on immigration. That having been said, if Hispanics are open to slowing immigration -- as the Gallup poll Crawford cites indicates -- the Democrats might just have a win-win situation.