Democrats are exploiting illegal immigration for political gain in a special state House race.

Voters in Brevard and east Orange next week will elect a replacement for former Rep. Bob Allen, who stepped down after he was convicted of soliciting a male police officer for sex. In the race between Democrat Tony Sasso and Republican Sean Campbell, an independent group mailing makes a dubious charge that Campbell has been working to bring illegals to central Florida.

The mailing, by "Citizens for Political Responsibility," notes that Campbell was a registered lobbyist for a day labor company (true) and that "companies like Campbell's exploit loopholes in federal law to hire illegal immigrants and bring them to our community." (Democrats say Campbell owned the company.) Campbell withdrew as a registered lobbyist for Southeast Staffing of Melbourne last Sept. 7.

The mailing was funded by the Orange County Fund for Children, an education group; the Florida Justice Association (trial lawyers) and long-time Orlando Democratic activist Doug Head. The piece ends with: "Sean Campbell. Great for illegal immigrants. Bad for us."