Proposition 202

NBC News has exit poll data showing Proposition 102 will win in Arizona, while Proposition 202 will go down to defeat.

The polling shows Prop. 102 leading among respondents by a margin of 55 to 45. The initiative would amend the Arizona Constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

Prop. 202, meanwhile, is down in the poll, but by a smaller margin. That intitiative would increase penalties for employers who knowingly hire illegal workers, but critics claim it is misleading, and would actually weaken employer sanctions.

NBC's poll shows 202 is losing 52 to 48 percent.

PHOENIX -- A group of prominent Republican legislators and public officials gathered outside the state capitol Wednesday to express their opposition to Proposition 202, the "Stop Hiring Illegals" ballot measure that would increase civil penalties for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants, but, according to opponents, would negate the current employer sanctions law passed by Arizonans only last year.

State Rep. Russell Pearce (R-Mesa), who is running for the Arizona Senate this year and has been an outspoken proponent of tougher immigration enforcement, spearheaded the event. He was joined by Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a handful of Republican lawmakers, Arizona Republican Party Chairman Randy Pullen and representatives from the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps.

Pearce called the law a "piece of garbage," and said Prop. 202 would make it easier for employers to get away with hiring illegal workers.

"I don't apologize for demanding our laws be enforced," said Pearce.

PHOENIX -- Arizona Republican Party Chairman Randy Pullen disputed the results of a Cronkite-Eight poll that shows Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) trailing Sen. John McCain (R-Phoenix) by only seven points in McCain's home state, saying the GOP shows McCain beating Obama by double-digits.

"It's basically, we pretty much agree it's between 15 and 20 points," said Pullen, who says he has heard the same numbers from the McCain campaign's internal polling.  

The sampling size for the poll conducted by the Republicans  was only 300, far smaller than the 1,000 respondents polled by the Cronkite School of Journalism at ASU and KAET-Eight.  Unlike the Cronkite-Eight poll, however, Pullen said his party had polled likely voters, as opposed to registered voters, which is the group surveyed by Cronkite-Eight.  

A Cronkite-Eight poll released Tuesday night shows a tightening presidential race in Arizona, as well as a slight lead for an amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman, and overwhelming support for a proposition that modifies sanctions on employers who hire illegal workers.

According to the poll, conducted by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and KAET Eight, Sen. John McCain (R-Phoenix) now leads Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) by 45 percent to 38 percent. With just over 1 percent going to third party candidates, over 16 percent of the electorate remains undecided.

The last Cronkite-Eight poll, released Aug. 19, had McCain leading by 10 points over Obama, 40 to 30.  

Bruce Merrill, who oversaw the poll, said Arizona has shifted from a solidly Republican state in the presidential race to one "in which the Democrats may choose to actively campaign."