Tancredo is scheduled to appear at small receptions hosted by the Christian Coalition of Iowa in homes in Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Falls and Dubuque. In between, he plans to do interviews with the state's largest Christian radio outlet and others, and to meet with the man who once managed the presidential candidacy of Pat Buchanan.
The trip is being coordinated by Buchanan's sister, Angela "Bay" Buchanan, who leads the Team America PAC that Tancredo founded to advance tougher enforcement of immigration laws.
Don't look for Tancredo for President lit en Espanol...
I'm surprised not to see Muscatine on that list. Having run for office not too far from Tancredo's stops, I can assure you that nativist sentiment runs deep and strong among Iowa Republicans in the eastern Iowa meat-packing belt.
The Buchanan connection is also interesting. Buchanan came very close to winning the 1996 caucuses, and indeed would have upset Dole had not the leading fundamentalist minister in Cedar Rapids endorsed Alan Keyes instead. Keyes wound up winning Linn County and little else.
In a splintered field with no clear front runner, Tancredo could have a strong surprise showing and accomplish his goal of forcing the eventual GOP nominee to take an explicitly anti-immigrant stance. That would be an open repudiation of W's attempts to woo the Hispanic vote, and a great opportunity for Democrats.
However, I'd still be ashamed if Iowa made that kind of statement.
By the way, check the photo credit on the story: Barry Gutierrez.
Politics, Iowa
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