igration ▁documentation ▁on ▁their ▁person ▁at ▁all ▁times . ▁Its ▁passage ▁by ▁a ▁Republican - led ▁legisl ature ▁and ▁its ▁subsequent ▁and ▁very ▁public ▁signing ▁by ▁Jan ▁Bre wer , ▁the ▁Republican ▁Governor ▁of ▁Arizona , ▁ign ited ▁protest s ▁across ▁the ▁South west ▁and ▁gal van ized ▁political ▁opinion ▁among ▁both ▁pro - imm igration ▁Lat ino ▁groups ▁and ▁Te a ▁Party ▁activ ists , ▁many ▁of ▁whom ▁supported ▁stronger ▁measures ▁to ▁stem ▁illegal ▁imm igration . ▁ ▁The ▁passage ▁of ▁the ▁controvers ial ▁Pat ient ▁Prote ction ▁and ▁Aff ord able ▁Care ▁Act ▁also ▁contributed ▁to ▁the ▁low ▁appro val ▁ratings ▁of ▁Congress , ▁particularly ▁Democr ats , ▁in ▁the ▁months ▁leading ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁election . ▁Many ▁Republic ans ▁ran ▁on ▁a ▁promise ▁to ▁repe al ▁the ▁law , ▁and ▁beat ▁inc umb ent ▁Democratic ▁oppon ents ▁who ▁had ▁voted ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁the ▁Pat ient ▁Prote ction ▁and ▁Aff ord able ▁Care ▁Act . ▁ ▁Federal ▁elections ▁ ▁Cong r essional ▁elections ▁ ▁Senate ▁elections ▁ ▁On ▁January ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁a ▁special ▁election ▁was ▁also ▁held ▁for ▁the ▁Class ▁I ▁seat ▁in ▁Massachusetts , ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁inc umb ent ▁Senator ▁Ted ▁Kennedy . ▁Republican ▁Scott ▁Brown ▁won ▁the ▁seat . ▁ ▁The ▁ 3 4 ▁seats ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁Class ▁III ▁were ▁up ▁for ▁election . ▁In ▁addition , ▁the ▁Class ▁I / II ▁seats ▁held ▁by ▁appointed ▁Sen ators ▁Ted ▁Kauf man ▁of