Tom Tancredo has succeeded in making hardline immigration enforcement a mainstream issue. Unfortunately for him, that didn’t bring viability to his presidential bid. That’s why Rep. Tancredo is likely to end his campaign today:

Tom Tancredo, a once-obscure Colorado Republican congressman who helped push his hard-line stance on immigration into the national mainstream, is expected to announce Thursday that he will end his long-shot bid for the White House.

The move may come as a relief to employers in such industries as agriculture and hospitality, many of whom tend to support GOP candidates yet depend on immigrant labor and favor guest-worker programs such as those advocated by President Bush.

People have criticized Tom Tancredo’s immigration beliefs. Fortunately for people who believe in the rule of law and in the principle of sovereignty, Rep. Tancredo didn’t moisten his finger to see which direction to take. He kept forcing his beliefs into the political mainstream.

It’s a fitting tribute to Rep. Tancredo that people are agreeing with him. People are looking for principled politicians. That’s what Rep. Tancredo is. Unfortunately, his is a one topic candidate.

Michelle Malkin is speculating that Tancredo will endorse Fred Thompson:

Some observers suggest that Tancredo, like friend and fellow immigration enforcement advocate Iowa GOP Rep. Steve King, might throw his support to Fred Thompson. Would Tancredo’s supporters follow? It’s not a given. Three other candidates, Duncan Hunter, Mitt Romney, and Ron Paul, rank higher than Thompson in Numbers USA’s assessment of the candidates’ proven records on immigration and border security (as opposed to their election-year promises).

If Tancredo endorses Fred Thompson, it’s likely that the vast majority of Tancredo’s supporters will go to Thompson because Hunter isn’t a viable candidate and Romney isn’t remotely close to being a conservative.

Check back later for more updates.

UPDATE: I was wrong. Tom Tacredo endorsed Mitt Romney. Who would’ve thunk it that a hardline conservative could’ve endorsed liberal Mitt Romney?

UPDATE II: The Thompson campaign has responded swiftly to Tom Tacredo’s dropping out of the race and his endorsement of Mitt Romney. They’ve responded by sending out Steve King, who earlier this week endorsed Sen. Thompson. Here’s the trascript of Rep. King’s brief statement:

REP. STEVE KING: I’m Congressman Steve King.

I want to thank Tom Tancredo for putting his head and his heart and his soul into this presidential race. He’s advanced the immigration issue with border security and the rule of law tremendously, and that’s to his great credit.

He and I disagree on who will carry that ball from now on.

I’ve put my head and my heart and my efforts behind Fred Thompson because he is the one who will define what amnesty is not what amnesty isn’t. Fred Thompson will stand up for the rule of law. I don’t have that confidence in any of the other candidates. That’s why I’m here.

I’m going to continue to carry this fight. I hope Tom Tancredo continues to carry this fight. However this breaks in the end, he’ll be my friend and I appreciate what he’s done for all of us.

As I said earlier, I appreciate the fight that Tom Tancredo’s led to make hardline immigration reform a mainstream position. That said, I still don’t understand why a staunch conservative would endorse a northeastern liberal.

One thing this shows is that Fred Thompson’s communications unit is definitely up to speed. Rep. King’s statement was posted less than an hour after Rep. Tancredo’s endorsement of Gov. Romney.

Technorati: Tom Tancredo, Fred Thompson, Ron Paul, Immigration, Mitt Romney, Election 2008

Cross-posted at California Conservative