Tom Tancredo presidential campaign, 2008
| Tancredo for a Secure America | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Campaign | U.S. presidential election, 2008 |
| Candidate |
Tom Tancredo Congressman (1999–2009) |
| Affiliation | Republican Party |
| Status | Withdrawn |
| Headquarters | Vienna, Virginia |
| Key people |
Bay Buchanan (Senior Advisor) Phil Alexander (Advisor) |
| Receipts | US$6.2 (2007-12-31) |
| Slogan | For a Secure America |
The 2008 presidential campaign of Tom Tancredo, a Congressman from Colorado began on April 2, 2007 with a formal announcement. The campaign garnered grassroots support and endorsements from conservative Republicans concerned about illegal immigration and border security. However, Tancredo remained low in the polls and was criticized for his nativist campaign, which had been described as "single-issued." Tancredo stated that he probably would not win the nomination but hoped his campaign would bring forth more debate on his issue of concern, immigration. On December 20, 2007 Tancredo withdrew from the presidential race, and endorsed Mitt Romney.
Prior to his announcement early in 2007, draft movements sprung to try to convince Congressman Tancredo to run for President of the United States. Tancredo responded to the draft efforts by stating that he would only start a campaign if a candidate already in the race did not extensively address the issue of Immigration and stay committed to conservative principles.
After Tancredo's announcement on April 2, 2007, he immediately began campaigning in the strategically important state of New Hampshire, making his first appearance at a meeting and a speech in Hudson and Nashua on April 4. Following this, Tancredo campaigned in the first caucus state of Iowa on April 14 at a fundraiser in Des Moines. Tancredo made over 90 campaign appearances in the state of Iowa (more than any other) and appeared in Des Moines five times. He appeared in New Hampshire approximately 35 times and appeared sporadically in other states in the same time span.
Until June, the campaign never took off in the polls nor in funds and received little media attention, with the exception of the May 15 GOP debate in South Carolina. However, Tancredo was given an opportunity to discuss immigration and attack the Bush administration and fellow Republican members of Congress at a GOP debate in New Hampshire on June 5, 2007. His criticism was directed mostly at top tiered candidate John McCain for his support of the failed "Amnesty bill." But throughout the night, he continually criticized the policies of the Bush administration, which he labeled as "liberal." When asked what President Bush's role would be in a Tancredo administration, he reflected on a time in 2003 when he was told by Karl Rove to "[not] darken the doorstep of the White House" because of his criticism of the president. Tancredo concluded that President Bush would be given the same command if he ever became president. During the debate in regards to immigration and Republican members of Congress, Tancredo said the following:
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