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Botero fires first in 6th Dist. race

Katie Kerwin Mccrimmon, Rocky Mountain News

Published February 25, 2006 at midnight

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GOLDEN - Juan Botero, a Denver media consultant from a Colombian family, is waging war against U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo in a Republican primary that will put the immigration issue front and center.

"Tom Tancredo is an irrational, one-trick pony obsessed with the issue of immigration," Botero said. "Many in his own party can't stand him and wish he would just go away."

Botero said the people of Colorado's 6th Congressional District have been poorly served by Tancredo.

"Tom Tancredo is an embarrassment not only to himself but to his party," Botero said. "The time has come to put an end to his extremist approach."

Tancredo's spokesman said the congressman was unavailable for comment Friday, except to reiterate a statement he made Thursday that he welcomes an opponent.

Tancredo was attending a speaking engagement in Arizona. He has been traveling extensively to talk about illegal immigration and has talked of running for president in 2008.

Botero, 42, who lives in Denver, said he and his wife and four children are moving to Highlands Ranch, so he will live in the 6th Congressional District, which spans Denver's southern suburbs from Centennial west into Jefferson County. Botero said he will probably petition to get on the ballot. The primary is set for Aug. 8.

A moderate Republican, Botero differs sharply from Tancredo on immigration. He called Tancredo a bully whose views are "un-American," particularly his desire to criticize members of the clergy who help illegal immigrants.

"Since Tom Tancredo has openly declared war on undocumented immigrants, I'm declaring war on his policies and his political future."

Illegal immigrants who have committed crimes should be deported, he said. But, Botero said, he believes most immigrants are law-abiding. He favors programs that would allow illegal immigrants to report themselves and pay fines for illegally entering the country.

Botero said he will run a multipronged campaign. "I will not be a one-man band on immigration," he said.

Botero's challenge marks the first time Tancredo has had a primary opponent since he was elected to Congress in 1998.

Botero, who speaks three languages (English, Spanish and French), celebrated his family's immigrant history during his announcement Friday.

He chose to launch his campaign at the Colorado School of Mines because his grandfather earned a master's degree there in 1927.

With limited English, Botero's grandfather, whom he called Papa Jaime, arrived in Golden from Colombia and managed to earn a degree in petroleum engineering.

"It stirs my heart every time I visit here," Botero said, gesturing to the campus.

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