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Tancredo keeping options open

M.E. Sprengelmeyer, Rocky Mountain News

Published November 17, 2006 at midnight

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WASHINGTON - Rep. Tom Tancredo is keeping all of his options open, but he's not ready to follow some big-name Republicans who have started filing papers to launch exploratory committees for the 2008 presidential race.

Tancredo, R- Littleton, strolled to re-election in his safely Republican, south suburban district. He said Thursday he still has not decided whether mounting a long- shot presidential bid, running for the U.S. Senate or staying in the House of Representatives will be the best way to advance his conservative agenda.

Tancredo first began joking about a presidential bid in early 2005. All along, he has conceded he would have no realistic chance of winning but said the threatened candidacy was a way of pressuring other contenders to take up his fight against illegal immigration.

Tancredo said he has been content to sit on the sidelines this week as bigger-name Republican presidential contenders took the first, formal steps to launch exploratory bids.

"For what may be my future, filing papers for an exploratory committee is not important to me and not important to any decision I'm wrestling with," Tancredo said.

He also is waiting for two-term Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Loveland, to decide whether he will honor a term-limits pledge and leave at the end of 2008.

Allard reiterated the pledge during his 2002 re-election campaign. But since Democrats took control of the U.S. Senate in this month's midterm elections, Allard has gotten friendly pressure from fellow Republicans to seek another term in 2008, lest his departure create an open seat contest that could be more difficult - and more costly - for the GOP to defend.

Allard is not expected to make a decision until early next year. If he decides not to run, Tancredo is one of many current or former lawmakers expected to consider the contest. Tancredo said he would not run against Allard.