A dispute over Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s position on immigration erupted on Thursday, highlighting the Republican’s struggle to appeal to conservatives on the explosive issue as he prepares to launch a Republican presidential bid.

The two-term governor has consistently opposed what he calls “amnesty” for immigrants in the country illegally, but his definition of amnesty has evolved. In a recent closed-door meeting with top New Hampshire Republicans, Walker said such immigrants should be allowed to stay in the country legally.

That’s according to New Hampshire GOP chair Jennifer Horn, who organized the meeting and challenged a Thursday report in The Wall Street Journal that Walker said he supported giving such immigrants a pathway to citizenship.

“I specifically asked a follow-up question on the immigration reform issue, where he very clearly identified he was advocating a path for legal status but not citizenship,” Horn said in an interview with The Associated Press.

There is perhaps no more contentious issue heading into the 2016 presidential contest than illegal immigration. Republican voters remain deeply divided and the nation’s surging Hispanic population is expected to play a key role, particularly in swing states. Read more in Cbslocal.