Some Republicans are challenging the claim their party must support more liberal immigration laws if it's to be more competitive in presidential elections.
Radio host Rush Limbaugh and other conservatives say overhauling the immigration system would add millions of new Democratic-leaning voters.
That's because citizenship would be granted to large numbers of Hispanic immigrants now living in the United States illegally.
Strategists in both parties say several factors make it likely that many newly enfranchised immigrants would be pro-Democratic, at least for a time.
Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida says such fears are overstated.
He says Republicans must work hard to appeal to people who now disagree with the GOP.
GOP leaders also say they must improve relations with voters who resent the Republican rhetoric in the immigration debate.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.