Lamborn endorses Tancredo for governor

Congressman Doug Lamborn announced his endorsement of Tom Tancredo for Colorado governor at a news conference Thursday in Colorado Springs.

"Tom is the only electable conservative candidate for governor," said Lamborn, a Republican running for a third House term in Colorado's 5th Congressional District.

"That means he's the only candidate who can turn our state around and put us back on the path to prosperity."

Tancredo, a former GOP congressman, is representing the American Constitution Party, which claims to be more conservative than the GOP.

GOP gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes has been struggling at the polls, carrying 15 percent of the vote. Many Republicans have called for Maes to drop out of the race as allegations of his mismanaging political funds has shadowed his run.

Lamborn said that he has lost faith in Maes "as a candidate and a person."

Tancredo said Thursday that if elected he will govern as a conservative Republican.

"We are in a dead heat with the liberal tax-and-spend John Hickenlooper," Tancredo said, "and Lamborn's support in El Paso County will help us cross the finish line ahead of Hickenlooper."

Polls show that Tancredo has 35 percent of the vote, while Denver Mayor Hickenlooper, the Democratic candidate, has 45 percent.

See the Gazette's Voter Guide here.