Political Scene

KENTUCKY

GOP’s Paul OK with border fence

FRANKFORT | Kentucky GOP Senate candidate Rand Paul once opposed building a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border because it would remind people of the Berlin Wall, but now he says he would support it if that’s what it takes to stop illegal immigrants from sneaking across.

Last year, Mr. Paul said he preferred an electronic fence that would signal authorities when people tried to cross because he didn’t like the symbolism of an actual fence.

But Mr. Paul said in a statement Tuesday that the U.S. “must” put up a fence, whether electronic, physical or a combination.

Mr. Paul, the “tea party”-backed candidate, also repeated his call to stop granting citizenship to children of illegal immigrants.

Allison Haley, a spokeswoman for Mr. Paul’s Democratic opponent, state Attorney General Jack Conway, says Mr. Paul is backpedaling on the border issue.

NEVADA

Obama announces speech on economy

LAS VEGAS | The White House said President Obama has added a second day to his visit to Las Vegas this week, and will deliver a major speech on the economy at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

The president’s invitation-only appearance Friday at the UNLV Student Union will come a day after he is hosted by Senate Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid during a campaign rally at the Aria Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Nevada now has the highest unemployment rate among the states, according to new federal data.

The Democratic senator’s campaign has e-mailed invitations to supporters for the Thursday event.

Despite his clout in Washington, Mr. Reid has become a top target for Republicans in the November elections, and faces a tough challenge from GOP nominee Sharron Angle in his bid for a fifth term in the Senate.

ILLINOIS

FBI agent: Blagojevich denied jobs-cash link

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