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Candidate Profile from Congressional QuarterlyTom Tancredo (R) of GoldenOpen Seat
Tancredo, a former junior high school teacher, first became involved in politics when he challenged his civics class to do the same. He made a deal with his 32 students that if each of them volunteered with a campaign organization, he would run for public office. To his surprise, each student actually signed up with a campaign and Tancredo was forced to run for office. A list of political options was drawn up, and the class voted that Tancredo should run for the state House. During his four years in the state legislature, Tancredo and other conservatives serving with him were dubbed the "House crazies" by the press and then-Gov. Richard Lamm, D, for their unrelenting efforts to dismantle the state's tax system. They ultimately were successful in getting rid of the state's sales tax on food and utilities and abolishing the inheritance tax. After leaving the state House, Tancredo joined the Reagan administration as regional representative of the Department of Education. While there, he pushed for the dismantling of the department and downsized his own regional staff 75 percent. In Congress, Tancredo will push for school vouchers and the elimination of bilingual education. He will also continue his fight to sunset the tax code. He backs a consumption tax and a flat tax. Tancredo is hoping to get a spot on the Commerce Committee, where he said he will work on behalf of the state's large telecommunications industry. |
