Election 2010: Tom Tancredo riles GOP with third-party bid for governor: would-be Republican candidate aims to topple John Hickenlooper despite Dan Maes on the ticket.

• Author: Cote, Mike
• Position: [2010] ELECTION - Republican Party - Interview

In Tom Tancredo's mind, he's coming to the rescue to win the governor's race for the Republican Party. It's just a technicality that he's actually on the American Constitution Party ticket.

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The former U.S. congressman jumped into the fray even before frontrunner Scott Mclnnis was bested by newcomer Dan Maes in the Republican primary. Mclnnis had been weakened by accusations of plagiarism, and Tancredo asked him to step aside. He asked the same of Maes, hobbled by his own ethics issues, so that the GOP could pick a stronger candidate to beat Democrat John Hickenlooper.

With Maes staying in the race, that candidate ended up being Tom Tancredo, but not with the GOP's blessing. The political maverick best known for his views on illegal immigration says it's improbable he'll be Colorado's next governor but that he's ready for the fight.

We talked with Tancredo at the ColoradoBiz offices in September. Watch video highlights from the interview at cobizmag.com. The following was edited for space and clarity.

ColoradoBiz: You've earned the backing of some prominent Republicans, including Bob Beauprez and Josh Penry. So would you say the American Constitution Party ticket is really just the alternative Republican Party ticket?

Tom Tancredo: In a way, that's quite true. I've been a Republican all my life. I certainly have a lot of arguments with the Republican Party. I can't tell you that it's been a completely harmonious relationship. I certainly had a confrontational relationship while I was in Congress. I continually criticized President Bush and the Republican leadership for spending too much, too many programs and their goofy position on illegal immigration. The reality is I would have been running in this race as a Republican had I been able to do so.

ColoradoBiz: Even with Dan Maes continuing to lose ground, you're still sharing votes with him. How do you expect to beat John Hickenlooper?

Tancredo: By getting a plurality. Notice I don't say a majority, because you don't need a majority. I won my first election for Congress in the primary in 1998. I was running against four other people and I won. My percentage? 26. I need about 60 percent of the Republican votes, about 44 percent of unaffiliates and about 8 percent of the Democrats. I absolutely can win under those circumstances. I recognize the difficulties ahead of me, but I know it's possible to do.

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