HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) -
Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney made a stop in Birmingham Wednesday night for a private fundraiser event.
His convoy had to pass about 100 protestors chanting against him over his stance on illegal immigration.
Romney's visit to Alabama was pretty much behind closed doors, at a glitzy dinner in Birmingham.
It comes as his vice presidential pick helps republicans, and democrats both, draw some very clear lines between Romney's and President Obama's visions.
As vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan gave his rousing pitch to supporters in Cincinnati, the Romney campaign caravan rolled into Birmingham for a high dollar fundraiser at a private club, in this the campaign's first week with Ryan on the ticket.
Political analyst Waymon Burke said Ryan's involvement makes this election a clear choice.
"Congressman Ryan is known as a budget guy, and he has proposed what's known as the Ryan budget, which will sharply decrease the role of government," said Burke. "What is the role of government? Will it be more expansive or will it have less of a presence? And that's interesting for Huntsville and Alabama."
Burke predicts a strong showing for Romney in Alabama, both in fundraising and in the election this fall, even though Alabama's first choices were Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich in the Republican primary.
He also sees a touchy question in immigration. Protesters from Decatur greeted Romney in Birmingham. The issue is hot again thanks to Alabama's immigration law and President Obama's initiative, starting Wednesday, to stop deportations of illegals brought to America as children.
"You just can't afford to alienate the Latino vote, and this act on the part of President Obama really put Governor Romney in a box," said Burke.
Romney has been pulling ahead of President Obama in campaign fundraising.
At his event in Birmingham Wednesday night, the cheap tickets were $1,000, the elite ones $25,000.
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Protestors greeted Governor Mitt Romney's campaign caravan in Birmingham.
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