Jon Keyser, a former state lawmaker running for U.S. Senate.
WASHINGTON — Senate hopeful Jon Keyser announced a trio of endorsements Monday — tallying support from former U.S. Sen. Hank Brown, former Gov. Bill Owens and former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo.
All the nods are notable, though the most intriguing of the bunch is the thumbs-up from Tancredo, the who ran an insurgent race for president long before Donald Trump tried it.
Said Tancredo in a statement released by the Keyser campaign: “Jon brings an unparalleled level of national security experience to this race and I have no doubt he will secure our southern border and bring Colorado common sense to Washington, D.C.”
Tancredo did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment, though it’s not surprising that he mentioned immigration in his statement — as that issue was Tancredo’s often-controversial during his political career.
For Keyser, the package of endorsements could help him gain traction in an Republican primary field. By balancing the backing from Tancredo with the support of Owens and Brown — two politicians who hew closer to the establishment than Tancredo — Keyser wants to make the case he’s the Republican with the best chance to unseat incumbent U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo.
But the move isn’t without risks.
In embracing Tancredo’s support, Keyser is likely to draw fire from Democrats who will try to tie him to some of Tancredo’s most incendiary remarks, such as comparing Miami to a — a statement that drew fire from then-Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
