Tom Tancredo, the former Congressman and 2010 American Constitution Party gubernatorial nominee, is calling on his fellow Republican rivals to sign a “Republican peace agreement” for the 2014 Republican primary for Governor.
Tancredo, who first took office in Congress by winning a crowded GOP primary, says that Republicans have lost big elections due to “often vicious primary election races that leave the winner too damaged to go on and defeat the Democrat in the general election.”
His solution is to have all his primary rivals sign an agreement that states they won’t “speak ill of any fellow law-abiding Republicans” and not agree to any “divisive debates” that don’t include Governor Hickenlooper.
We’re not sure if he means Republicans shouldn’t have any debates without Hickenlooper (who likely won’t agree to join anyone before the primary is over), or just avoid “divisive debates,” however that might be interpreted.
The agreement pushed by Tancredo feels a little odd considering Tancredo ran some of the most vicious attack ads against Republican nominee Dan Maes in 2010, like this infamous slash and burn spot featuring the late Freda Poundstone:
However, Republicans in Colorado are certainly sick of scorched earth primaries and there might be a good bit of good will for an idea like Tancredo’s, even if his opponents may not agree to fight the better known politician with one hand tied behind their back.
You can see a copy of the full “peace agreement” emailed to the Republican campaigns after the jump:
Republican Peace Agreement
8-28-2013
I,_____________________, a registered Republican candidate for Governor of Colorado, agree that our Party’s best chance to defeat Democrat Governor John Hickenlooper will start with our ability to conduct the Primary election in a civil and mutually respectful manner.
To ensure our eventual nominee is in the strongest possible position to win the General election in November of 2014, I agree to join Tom Tancredo in pledging to:
- Speak no ill of a fellow law-abiding Republican candidate for Governor and will instead direct my criticism at exposing the failed leadership
of Democrat Governor John Hickenlooper. - Refrain from divisive debates except if Gov.Hickenlooper is included
- Run my campaign to demonstrate genuine leadership in reforming Colorado’s broken government while making the case for who has the best chance at defeating Gov. Hickenlooper in November of 2014.
I make this agreement for the best interests of Colorado, the Republican Party, and of my own free will without any coercion.
Signed,___________________
________________ Republican candidate for Governor
I am in agreement. He also posted a letter on his site explaining that he was disregarding the overwhelming number of constituents who contacted him asking he show no support for the bailouts.
Tancredo is nothing but an opportunist. He took the least difficult route to run as governor in 2010 only to screw over the GOP with the 3rd party scenario. For one more election cycle the GOP barely maintained a minority status! What right does he have in telling the GOP how to behave when he behaved sooooo badly himself. Tancredo is not in touch with self-governance, a constitution, or what's right. He's only in it for himself.
I hope this goes nowhere. The only reason I joined the Republican Party was to participate in intra-party bloodshed.
Maes was a train wreck for the Colorado GOP, in large part due to Maes himself. If you're going to cherry pick details out of that scenario to make some news, you owe your readers a full accounting.