The thing with Tancredo’s campaign is, I feel, that it was never really a serious run in the first place. The campaign in and of itself was a policy statement and a cause to raise awareness on the immigration issue.
Tancredo endorsing Thompson brings good and bad. The Tanc’s crusade against illegals while on principle is valiant, also stems quite close to racism. In several ways, his attitude and comments hurt his own movement. While the chance for backlash on this with Tancredo associating himself with Thompson (with an endorsement) is slim, the possibility still is there.
While the immigration issue is clearly what voters on the Right care about as is witnessed in the recent Ohioan special election, a shroud of extremism is definitely not what Thompson needs if he is to win over the moderates and swing voters.
In the instance of running for Senate, Tancredo may do well to look at the example of the state of Michigan. A vast rural state with strong republican ties in the House but a long history of Democratic Senators due to huge liberal urban voting blocs. The people of Colorado enjoyed Allard as a Senator because while he was a solid conservative he did not stir the pot. Tancredo on the other hand, would. This is something the gradually left-leaning voter in Colorado would consider.
