http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_3084227

Article Launched: 10/04/2005 01:00:00 AM

GOP congressman wants Tancredo booted from party
Rep. Darrell Issa of San Diego says the Coloradan, who backs an anti-illegal-immigration independent in a Calif. race against Republicans, "doesn't care who gets hurt."
By Anne C. Mulkern
Denver Post Staff Writer



Washington - A San Diego Republican congressman wants Colorado U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo kicked out of the Republican Party because he endorsed an independent who is running against a Republican in California.

"He doesn't care who gets hurt. He doesn't care what the damage is that gets done to the Republican movement or the conservative movement as long as he gets on television," said Rep. Darrell Issa.

The criticism came after anti- illegal-immigration stalwart Tan credo taped a radio advertisement backing Jim Gilchrist for election to a Newport Beach, Calif.-based seat in the U.S. House. Gilchrist founded the Minuteman Project, a citizens group that patrols the U.S.-Mexico border.

Gilchrist is running as an independent in a special election today against two Republicans, one of whom - John Campbell - is endorsed by the California Republican Party. The election is to fill the seat of Christopher Cox, who was recently appointed chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Under California law, unless one candidate gets 51 percent of the vote or more, there will be a runoff with the top vote-getters for each political party, which could push Gilchrist into a runoff against a Republican.

"He's great on my issue," Tancredo said of Gilchrist, referring to immigration. "He's a leader that has actually done something rather than talk about it."

Gilchrist is a former Republican who left the party because of his frustration over how it was handling the immigration issue, Tancredo said.

Tancredo said he did not expect Gilchrist to win but that his campaign pushes the immigration issue into the election.

In California, a Republican who endorses a candidate running against another Republican can have his or her membership in the party revoked. The same is not true on the federal level, though Issa said Tancredo has hurt his ability to work with other U.S. House members.

Issa is the latest Republican to criticize Tancredo. Utah's Rep. Chris Cannon also questioned Tancredo's Republican credentials after Tancredo backed a challenger to Cannon in a Republican primary.

Issa lambasted Tancredo last week at the Republican U.S. House members' weekly meeting.

Tancredo said he came in at the end of Issa's criticisms and then stepped to the microphone to explain his position.

"I long ago gave up any sort of idea that I was going to be able to work within the party structure to accomplish my goals," Tancredo said in an interview.

Tancredo called Issa a "country-club Republican" who is out of touch with the common man.

Issa said he served in the Army and started his business with $7,000, adding, "I've never gone to a country club, and I don't golf."