DENVER - Contrary to published reports, former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo has not yet filed papers with the Secretary of State's office to form an exploratory committee to run for governor -- but Tancredo tells FOX 31 he is planning to file in the next several days.
"I haven't filed anything yet," Tancredo said. "There are a whole bunch of things we have to put together to get to the point of filing. We're not there yet, but we are looking. Once we get those ducks in a row, those organizational things, I anticipate we'll file in a relatively short time."
Tancredo, who twice ran for president on a hard-line anti-illegal immigration platform, had been a strong supporter of state Sen. Josh Penry. Penry ended his gubernatorial run this week and cleared the way for former U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis to be the Republican party's challenger to Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter, who is seeking reelection next year.
"I've said all along that if Josh wasn't in the race, I would be," Tancredo said. "Now, he's no longer in the race. So stay tuned."
Tancredo didn't want to talk about his reasons for challenging McInnis, who has the support of many top GOP donors but has struggled thus far to excite the party's grass roots, more conservative, Tea Party-attending base.
"I'm going to wait until we're actually in the race before we go there," Tancredo said.
State GOP chair, Dick Wadhams, last spoke to Tancredo a few days ago and had yet to hear of any definitive plans to enter the race.
"I haven't talked to him [since Penry ended his campaign] and I'm not encouraging anything," said Wadhams, who didn't agree with Ritter's characterization Tuesday that Wadhams was "encouraging other people to make a primary run."
Evergreen businessman Dan Maes remains in the governor's race as a long-shot Republican challenger to McInnis.
"As party chair, I have two things I have to do," Wadhams said. "The bylaws require me to be neutral in these races. What Ritter was referring to I think was me just pointing out the obvious, which is that we have five months until the caucuses and that there's still time for other people to get in. I have to run a fair nomination process and, secondly, make sure that we're focused on the dismal record of Ritter and [U.S. Sen. Michael] Bennet."
Bennet, the incumbent Democrat Ritter appointed to the Senate in January, will be challenged by whichever Republican emerges from a primary field that includes former Lieut. Gov. Jane Norton, former state Sen. Tom Wiens, and Weld Co. District Attorney Ken Buck.
"I still think primaries, competition, make better candidates for the longer campaign, and it doesn't have to be divisive at all," Wadhams said. "But I do think the candidates who get in need to take a clear, long look at how they plan to win the Republican nomination but, just as importantly, how they win the campaign against Bill Ritter. Ultimately, our goal has to be to defeat Bill Ritter."
"I haven't filed anything yet," Tancredo said. "There are a whole bunch of things we have to put together to get to the point of filing. We're not there yet, but we are looking. Once we get those ducks in a row, those organizational things, I anticipate we'll file in a relatively short time."
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Tancredo, who twice ran for president on a hard-line anti-illegal immigration platform, had been a strong supporter of state Sen. Josh Penry. Penry ended his gubernatorial run this week and cleared the way for former U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis to be the Republican party's challenger to Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter, who is seeking reelection next year.
"I've said all along that if Josh wasn't in the race, I would be," Tancredo said. "Now, he's no longer in the race. So stay tuned."
Tancredo didn't want to talk about his reasons for challenging McInnis, who has the support of many top GOP donors but has struggled thus far to excite the party's grass roots, more conservative, Tea Party-attending base.
"I'm going to wait until we're actually in the race before we go there," Tancredo said.
State GOP chair, Dick Wadhams, last spoke to Tancredo a few days ago and had yet to hear of any definitive plans to enter the race.
"I haven't talked to him [since Penry ended his campaign] and I'm not encouraging anything," said Wadhams, who didn't agree with Ritter's characterization Tuesday that Wadhams was "encouraging other people to make a primary run."
Evergreen businessman Dan Maes remains in the governor's race as a long-shot Republican challenger to McInnis.
"As party chair, I have two things I have to do," Wadhams said. "The bylaws require me to be neutral in these races. What Ritter was referring to I think was me just pointing out the obvious, which is that we have five months until the caucuses and that there's still time for other people to get in. I have to run a fair nomination process and, secondly, make sure that we're focused on the dismal record of Ritter and [U.S. Sen. Michael] Bennet."
Bennet, the incumbent Democrat Ritter appointed to the Senate in January, will be challenged by whichever Republican emerges from a primary field that includes former Lieut. Gov. Jane Norton, former state Sen. Tom Wiens, and Weld Co. District Attorney Ken Buck.
"I still think primaries, competition, make better candidates for the longer campaign, and it doesn't have to be divisive at all," Wadhams said. "But I do think the candidates who get in need to take a clear, long look at how they plan to win the Republican nomination but, just as importantly, how they win the campaign against Bill Ritter. Ultimately, our goal has to be to defeat Bill Ritter."
