Short on friends and low on funds, Colorado Republican gubernatorial nominee Dan Maes has resorted to name-calling. In a radio interview on KHOW yesterday, he called third-party candidate and infamous immigration fear-monger Tom Tancredo an “illegal immigrant” in the gubernatorial race.
“You know, I went through the system,” Maes said on the Caplis & Silverman Show. “We’ve got an illegal immigrant in the system right now. And it’s a minor party candidate, who didn’t go through the system. And he went in the side door at the last minute. Now he’s trying to take a job away from someone who earned it.”
“And he cheated his way in the back door,” Maes added, as the hosts laughed.
When TPM asked Maes spokesperson Nate Strauch if Maes stands by his comment, Strauch replied simply “he does.”
Maes defended his campaign vehemently on the show. At one point, host Dan Caplis said Maes was “either delusional or dishonest” for staying in the race. And Maes tried to spin his recent dismal fundraising figures in a positive light.
“All three of our fundraising dropped this last period, including the mayor’s,” Maes said.
“Dan, he’s outpacing you about 10 to 1—” Caplis said.
“Been there, done that, Dan. I’m not worried about it,” Maes responded.
The TPM Poll Average shows Democrat John Hickenlooper leading with 47.2%, followed by Tancredo with 27.8% and Maes at 19.9%.
Eric Lach
Eric Lach is a reporter for TPM. From 2010 to 2011, he was a news writer in charge of the website’s front page. He has previously written for The Daily, NewYorker.com, GlobalPost and other publications. He can be reached at ericl(at)talkingpoitnsmemo.com
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