•Tom Tancredo joined FoxNews’ Bill O’Reilly:
•Tancredo was endorsed by the National Rifle Association:
Independent candidate for Governor Tom Tancredo today received the backing of the National Rifle Association, the nation’s oldest and largest gun-rights organization. The endorsement is the latest good news for Tancredo’s grassroots campaign, which is now running in a dead heat with the Democrat frontrunner, according to a recent Rasmussen poll.
“The NRA exists for the sole purpose of protecting our right to keep and bear arms, and I’m proud to have their endorsement,” said Tancredo. “They know I’m the only one standing between Denver’s gun-grabbing Mayor and the Governor’s Mansion.”
Tancredo earned an ‘A’ rating from the NRA, while Democrat John Hickenlooper earned an ‘F’. The ‘A’ rating is awarded only to “solidly pro-gun candidates” with a “demonstrated record of support on Second Amendment issues.” The ‘F’ rating is reserved for a “True enemy of gun owners’ rights” and those candidates“who always oppose gun owners’ rights.”
The NRA’s backing is a boost for Tancredo’s independent campaign, which enters the election home stretch neck-and-neck with his Democrat opponent after erasing what had been a 20-point lead for the Denver Mayor just a few weeks ago.
•FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver asks–can Tancredo win?
Tom Tancredo, who is running on the American Constitution Party’s ticket, is now within striking distance of the Democrat, John Hickenlooper, in some polls. Two surveys conducted using Rasmussen Reports methodology have him trailing Mr. Hickenlooper by 4 points and 5 points, with the Republican nominee, Dan Maes, running far behind.
Other surveys, like one conducted for Ipsos, show a more significant distance between Mr. Hickenlooper and Mr. Tancredo, who has taken some controversial stances on immigration policy and other areas. Even so, three-candidate races are always dynamic, and Mr. Tancredo has some chance of winning.
The key question is whether some of the voters who are still pledging their support to Mr. Maes might defect to Mr. Tancredo. That seems quite plausible — although the opposing point of view is that since Mr. Tancredo’s unfavorability ratings are fairly high, he could hit a ceiling of sorts, and that most Republicans who might be comfortable voting for him have already said that they will.
Still, Mr. Hickenlooper’s position is not totally safe and the model gives Mr. Tancredo about a 12 percent chance of winning.
•Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper takes a shot at a “flamboyant” Tancredo:
•Western Tradition Partnership, a “501(c)(4) grassroots lobbying organization dedicated to fighting environmental extremism and promoting responsible development and management of land, water, and natural resources in the Rocky Mountain West,” has released an ad targeting Hickenlooper:
•Dan Maes’ running mate: Colorado’s voters not smart enough to vote for Maes?
•Video from the gubernatorial debate in Pueblo last week (Part 2//Part 3//Part 4):
•RealClearPolitics poll tracker–Colorado governor.