Tancredo Forms Presidential Exploratory Committee

[Ron Burgundy]

CQPolitics.com - After spending last weekend consulting with Republican insiders in the first-in-the-nation presidential caucus state of Iowa, Colorado Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo has decided to form an exploratory committee for a possible White House run in 2008.

Though little known to most of the nation’s voters, the five-term congressman from suburban Denver has a following among some conservative activists — particularly those who favor his leadership role in efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and also limit the numbers of legal immigrants in the United States.

The 61-year-old Tancredo’s ostensible reason for visiting Iowa was to promote his book on his trademark issue, “In Mortal Danger: The Battle for America’s Border and Security.”

According to a report Tuesday by the Associated Press, Tancredo said he found Iowa Republicans who think the other potential candidates for the party’s presidential nomination do not share their views. “They believe that there is a void in this race that none of the other candidates are willing or able to fill,” he said.

The news that Tancredo plans to move ahead with a presidential exploratory committee comes just a day after another Colorado Republican made headlines: Sen. Wayne Allard (news, bio, voting record) announced Monday in Denver that he will not run for a third term in 2008.

Tancredo is considered a possible Republican contender for Allard’s seat in a contest that Democrats — who have made significant gains in Colorado over the past two election cycles — are targeting for a takeover bid in 2008.

But Tancredo, following Allard’s announcement, appeared to signal a preference for his longshot presidential prospects, with his spokesman telling the state press that Tancredo is urging Republican former Rep. Scott McInnis to run for the Senate next year.

Tancredo is one of 13 Republicans listed by CQPolitics.com as having a stated interest in running for president in 2008, a group that includes much better known figures such as Arizona Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

The only officially announced GOP candidate at the moment is a distinct long-shot, attorney John H. Cox of Illinois, who happens to share many of Tancredo’s views on immigration.

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/cq/20070116/pl_cq_politics/tancredoformspresidentialexploratorycommittee [link]