Monday, July 26, 2010

Open Letter to Tea Party Activists from Tom Tancredo

Subsequent to the distribution of my email address by the Arapahoe County Republican Chairman, I have received over 100 messages from folks who have asked me not to proceed with plans to run for Governor on a third party ticket. Many referenced an earlier open letter in which I pointed out the perils of a third party candidacy. Interestingly, I looked back at previous communications and found many of the same folks had written to chastise me for suggesting "party unity" was important. That was before their candidate, Dan Maes, had top lined Scott McInnis at the Republican Party Assembly. Since then, they and many other "insurgents" have become hard core Republican Party stalwarts. The point is, as I am sure these new establishment activists would point out, things change. How true. For them, their candidate, after having won a majority of the 3500 Assembly delegates, now must get a majority of the hundreds of thousands of state wide Republican primary voters. For me, the revelations about ethical problems on the part of both Scott McInnis and Dan Maes, changed the rules of the game. I could not, in good conscience vote for either of these two gentlemen in the general election and more importantly, I do not believe that most Colorado voters would either — especially after a grueling battle with a well funded Democrat opponent. We desperately need an alternative. That is why I have both Dan and Scott to simply make a public pledge to withdraw if polls in August showed the winner of the Republican Party primary losing to the Mayor Hickenlooper. Then the Republicans could fill the vacancy with someone (hopefully a good conservative) who could win. By the way, that person would not be me as my relationship with the Party insiders has never been good.

The other option is a third party candidate. That option, by the way, is not my preference.

I have one desire that motivates me and that is to defeat John Hickenlooper in November. I do not look forward to the ugliness that will inevitably be part of such a race. I told my grandkids the other night to brace themselves. I have asked the Lord to help me and all of my family to do the same.

With warm regards,

Tom Tancredo