Tancredo passes $1 million in possible presidential run

Source: rockymountainnews

Washington -- Rep. Tom Tancredo has raised more than $1 million for his exploratory presidential bid, saying that makes it more likely he will follow through with a full-fledged candidacy.

Tancredo, R-Littleton, said he's aware of the daunting odds he faces going up against bigger-name Republican contenders who have millions more dollars in the bank.

Still, he said he takes heart in the large number of average folks - backers of his hard-line stand against illegal immigration - who have made small contributions averaging $59 on the Team Tancredo Web site.

'It's amazing to me,' Tancredo said. 'I know we're going to be a long way from the war chests that are out there. On the other hand, I feel like I've got more people that are committed to me and the ideas I represent than a lot of these other guys.'

Tancredo put himself in the second-tier of Republican contenders, behind front-runners like former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

He had set a goal of raising $1 million for his exploratory committee, Tancredo for a Secure America, by the end of the first quarter of this year. Crossing that goal 'kicks my enthusiasm level up about a million times,' Tancredo said in phone interview.

'It just simply means it's certainly more likely that we will announce I will be a candidate for president,' he said.

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