A duo of Republican politicians with MSU ties joined the pool of potential presidential candidates this month for the 2008 election.

U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney announced they filed paperwork to establish presidential campaign exploratory committees — a step candidates must take before formally announcing their candidacy.

Tancredo announced his plans Tuesday, while Romney announced his Jan. 3.

Tancredo is known at MSU for his participation in a Nov. 30 discussion about illegal immigration that became violent.

Protesters disturbed the event by pulling the fire alarm twice and physically assaulting members of the Young Americans for Freedom, or YAF, and the MSU College Republicans.

YAF Chairman Kyle Bristow said Tancredo's stance on illegal immigration proves his willingness to tackle controversial issues.

"Both parties are afraid to deal with the illegal immigration issues," Bristow said. "He exhibits strong leadership skills and he's willing to say what needs to be said. He really wants to observe American culture."

But Kate Lester, president of the MSU Stonewall Democrats, said Tancredo's radical stances lead her to believe he's ignorant.

"I believe that he believes what he says, but that means I believe he's a racist, a sexist and a warmonger, and I think that those things would be very bad for us right now," Lester said.

Mitt Romney is tied to MSU through his brother, Scott Romney, who has served on the MSU Board of Trustees since 2000. Romney, whose four-year team as Massachusetts' governor ended Jan. 4, is a Detroit native.

Scott Romney did not return phone calls from The State News on Tuesday.

Jeff Wiggins, chairman of the MSU College Republicans, said he wouldn't "jump on Romney's bandwagon" because Romney's too moderate.

"If you're a conservative Republican, Mitt Romney should definitely set off flags in your mind because he considers himself a Republican, yet he got elected governor of one of the most liberal states in the U.S.," Wiggins said. "You have to think about some of the things he stands for."

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., also announced his decision to launch a presidential campaign Tuesday, aspiring to become the first black person to hold the title in U.S. history. He is expected to announce his official candidacy Feb. 10.

Obama, who's serving his first term as a senator, said he didn't think he would run for president on his Web site.

"I certainly didn't expect to find myself in this position a year ago, but as I've spoken to many of you in my travels across the states, as I've read your e-mails and I've read your letters, I've been struck by how hungry we all are for a different kind of politics," Obama said in a video posted on his Web site.

Lester said Obama will get far because of his charisma, but said he isn't familiar enough with the U.S. government to be president.

"Not only does he need more experience, but we as American people need to learn who he really is," Lester said.

"I think his fresh ideas are good, but he needs more experience with the actual structure of the government."

Wiggins said he made a vow not to endorse any candidate yet, but said if he had to choose right now, he'd choose Tancredo.

"Whether you like or hate him, he's honest," Wiggins said. "He's the best conservative candidate out there. It's a shame that conservative candidates like Tancredo don't get as much attention as say, Romney or (Sen. John) McCain, because they have big money."