Tancredo Finds Tea Party Support

The head of a prominent Tea Party group has endorsed former Congressman Tom Tancredo over Republican Dan Maes in Colorado’s Senate race.

“Tom Tancredo has always been there for the constitutional conservative principles that drive the tea party movement, and I am honored to support him,” Amy Kremner, the chair of the Tea Party Express, said in a statement released early Monday morning. 

Adds Kremner, “It is time for Republican Dan Maes to end his campaign, endorse Mr. Tancredo, and do what is right and best for the people of Colorado.”

Tancredo, who is running an as independent, was a long-shot candidate for the Republican nomination in the 2008 presidential campaign. His campaign attracted controversy for Tancredo’s suggestion that the U.S. retaliate to a massive terrorist attack by bombing Mecca. Tancredo raised eyebrows this summer as well for an editorial he penned calling for Obama’s impeachment.

When Colorado’s Senate nominees told NBC’s David Gregory recently that they have not seen any racism amid the state’s Tea Party activity, NAACP President Ben Jealous cited Tancredo as an example to the contrary.

“Apparently, living in Colorado and being involved in politics as long as they have, they haven’t seen Tom Tancredo, who has made repeated comments, including talking about the need to put the bombing of Mecca and Medina on the table,” Jealous said in a conference call with reporters.