WASHINGTON, March 1 — Senator Jon Kyl, a staunch supporter of President Bush who faces a potentially difficult re-election fight this year, is hearing a lot from constituents in Arizona about the plan to allow a Dubai company to operate shipping terminals at Eastern ports. Most think the deal should be stopped.
"It is almost all critical to dubious," Mr. Kyl said, referring to public opinion at home. "If I have to disagree with the Bush administration, I will."
The port deal has exploded out of nowhere to become a major bone of contention in an election year that had not lacked driving issues.
It is not clear what kind of staying power the deal has as an issue, but for now Republicans have little choice but to acknowledge the objections they are hearing from voters, distancing themselves from Mr. Bush on national security heading toward the midterm elections.
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