On July 1st, Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., opened his Iowa campaign headquarters to an enthusiastic crowd.

Approximately 50 people showed up to the new campaign office, 217 Welch Ave. #102, to hear what Tancredo had to say about the big issues.

“The big issue, of course, is the immigration bill, which I call the terminator,” Tancredo said. “We killed it and it just kept coming back, but I think on Thursday we dropped it into that big vat of acid.”

Tancredo said he differed from other candidates because he has a concrete stance on an issue.

“The principles that I stand on haven’t changed,” Tancredo said.

He said he doesn’t want to be known as a single-issue candidate, and is willing to discuss many different issues.

Tancredo said universal health care would make the government too big. He doesn’t want the government making decisions about people’s health for them.

“Everybody in the universe should have healthcare – their own,” Tancredo said.

Tancredo is anti-abortion, supports a market-based health care plan, and a national sales tax supporter, as opposed to income tax, said Bill Salier, Iowa chairman of Tancredo’s campaign.

“Tancredo does not deviate from the U.S. Constitution,” Salier said.

Norma Halverson, of Laurens, attended the event and was impressed by Tancredo’s ideas.

“You [Tancredo] are the sane voice in insane times,” Halverson said.

Tancredo came to Ames today after a visit to Des Moines at the GOP forum for his stance on immigration.

“If immigration wasn’t an issue, then Tancredo wouldn’t be a formidable candidate and a competitive contender,” said Mike Tate, blogger and Internet assistant for Tancredo’s campaign. “Immigration is hot, and so is Tancredo.”

Tancredo said he wasn’t a single-issue candidate, but the immigration issue was the single reason he put his name into the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

“Had I found one single person that was absolutely committed to the immigration issue, I would not be here,” Tancredo said. “I would be happily wearing a sticker for them.”

Tancredo will be back in Ames on Aug. 11 for the straw poll.