by Rick Pearson
DES MOINES—Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo, citing the surge of Mike Huckabee in Iowa, withdrew from the Republican presidential race today and threw his support behind Huckabee's chief rival, Mitt Romney.
Tancredo, whose campaign focused largely on the single theme of combating illegal immigration, said of Romney: "The reality is this, at this point in time, he is the best hope for our cause and it is the cause that motivates me."
Polling in the very low single digits, Tancredo said he met with Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, and had a detailed conversation with him before making his endorsement. He credited his campaign and "the enormous amount of progress we have made" in bringing the immigration issue to the fore in the Republican campaign.
Tancredo has had his criticisms of Romney but said he feared if he remained in the race it could help lead to a victory by a candidate like Huckabee or Sen. John McCain of Arizona. Huckabee backed in-state tuition breaks for the children of undocumented immigrants during his tenure as Arkansas governor. McCain promoted a failed immigration reform plan that would have created a path to citizenship.
"It is apparent to me I cannot win this race. It's also apparent to me that there are folks who are in the race who, even though they've rhetorically said the right things—we've forced them into that—I'm not sure they're there beyond that. Like Gov.Huckabee and certainly Sen. McCain. They have records," Tancredo said.
"Anybody can say anything and we've all heard it from these microphones: 'Yes I'm with you. Yes I'm there.' Well, you've got to look there. What's the record? What have these people done? When they had the chance, what did they do?" he said. "I don't want to do anything that would aid them."
Asked by reporters if Huckabee's surge in Iowa, in which he has surpassed longtime frontrunner Romney in polls of likely GOP caucusgoers, played a role in dropping out of the race, Tancredo said, "It was important in making this decision. You bet your life it was."
Though Tancredo has polled in the low single digits in Iowa, his endorsement of Romney lends the Massachusetts governor credibility to his anti-illegal immigration rhetoric, which he has used in challenging Huckabee.
Huckabee has proposed his own immigration reform plan and gained the backing of Jim Gilchrist the co-founder of the private border-control Minuteman Project though that endorsement has divided some anti-illegal immigration leaders. Gilchrist, himself, admitted some unease about Huckabee's call to speed-up the process to allow immigrant workers into the country.
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Comments
Adios, Amigo!
Good riddance to race-baitiong, fear-mongering trash.
Posted by: JT | December 20, 2007 4:09 PM
I look at Huckabee and see someone who is soft on criminals and could more easily be fooled when it comes to the dangers of terrorism. I also believe illegals would love to see either Huck or McCain elected.
Contrary to some people I'm glad Romney has been sharing info on Huck's past regarding pardons and illegals....I had no idea! For the me scale is tilting towards Romney. I think he could be great!
Posted by: Larry | December 20, 2007 4:38 PM
Tom Tancredo is a true conservative. I look forward to supporting his next political endeavor.
Go Tom !
Posted by: Dr. John | December 20, 2007 4:51 PM
tancredo has ruined the Republican cause. what are Republicans polling among Hispanics these days? what happened to the 44% poll rating and good rapport with Hispanics that Bush won for the Republican party? I just can't believe that the Republican candidates (with the exception of McCain and partial exception of Huckabee) run over the cliff with this moron like a pack of lemmings. unless either McCain or Huckabee come out on top, Republicans' racist pandering to xenophobic bumpkins during the primaries will lose them the general election.
Posted by: carl | December 20, 2007 4:52 PM
Tom Tancredo is a true conservative. I look forward to supporting his next political endeavor.
Go Tom !
Posted by: Dr. John | December 20, 2007 4:53 PM
Bruce should be happy. An article about Tancredo.
Posted by: GK | December 20, 2007 5:00 PM
good riddance
Posted by: fef | December 20, 2007 5:02 PM
I thank Tom Tancredo for focusing attention on an issue upon which we Americans and our government have procrastinated too long.
The border must be secured, and illegal immigration must be stopped.
We cannot be safe and secure in our homes, given the rise in gang violence that plagues Chicago, and, increasingly, the entire Midwest.
I thank Tom Tancredo for his honesty and courage for addressing a very serious matter -- one that many would otherwise continue to ignore, or exploit.
My hat is off to Tom Tancredo. And I now wish Mitt Romney the best of luck and a helping hand. America needs a leader who can both be firm and keep us safe, while giving America hope for a better future.
And, for the record, may it be known that I am a moderate, independent voter who worked on Howard Dean's campaign and voted Democratic in 2004. It is not only "right-wing, conservative Republicans" who are concerned about border security and illegal immigration.
I think the Democratic Party is inviting chaos into our country by promoting a "no-border" policy in exchange for Hispanic/Latino votes. As this problem increases in magnitude, more and more independents and Democrats will move towards a candidate with the courage to secure our border and stop illegal immigration.
I type this while thinking of Leticia Barerra, the young pregnant woman with three children, who was shot in the head in Back-of-the-Yards on Halloween -- a victim of all the forces contributing to the rise of gang violence in our country.
And, I am also thinking of 83-year-old Verna Corcoran, who was strangled to death by an illegal alien in Marengo, Illinois -- my hometown -- on Mother Day of 2006.
May they both rest in peace. And, by securing our border and enforcing our immigration laws, may we stop the violence that sent them and all other victims of illegal immigration to early graves.
Posted by: Dawn | December 20, 2007 6:19 PM
A Republican getting Tancredo's endorsement is a lot like a Democrat's getting Gravel's, when and if the Alaskan decides to get out of the race. I wonder who Alan Keyes will eventually throw his weight to? Does anybody really care who any of these goofs endorse?
Posted by: Richard Friedman | December 20, 2007 7:22 PM
GOOD!
That's one less Republic
Party racist that they won't continue trying to foist off onto the public.
Posted by: BC | December 20, 2007 8:43 PM
" Does anybody really care who any of these goofs endorse?
Posted by: Richard Friedman | December 20, 2007 7:22 PM"
nope...C
Posted by: C.Morris | December 20, 2007 8:55 PM
Richard,
Maybe they will all quit and we will get a whole new slate of real Republican candidates, hey?
Posted by: C.Morris | December 20, 2007 9:55 PM
I've posted this comment on a few blogs. I'm not working for Romney, I just feel that he hasn't received a very fair shake among many conservatives thus far. Romney is clearly now the anti-illegal immigration candidate. What candidate can win the support of ALL conservatives...fiscal, defense, AND social? Mitt's the man!
Posted by: Cory | December 21, 2007 12:05 AM
Hey let's all chip in to pay for a nice vacation for Tancredo now that he's going to have some time on his hands. I'm thinking Cancun. Maybe Puerto Vallarta?
Posted by: AJF | December 21, 2007 12:45 PM
TanCretin's exit endorsement;
The sound of a fart, under a freight train, in tunnel, hurtling through the gates of Hell.
Posted by: C.Morris | December 21, 2007 9:21 PM