Tancredo's out, endorses... Romney.

It was just a matter of time before Tancredo dropped out of the race, and I think Huck's rise hastened the event.

My fear is that if I were to stay in this race my votes could be the factor in handing victory to a pro-amnesty politician. Friends, we have done too much, come too far and the stakes are too high to play that hand. And so I am ending my presidential campaign.

But why Romney? Speculation at best, but it comes down to two things, a quid pro quo from Romney in the form of an executive office, or pragmatic politics, or... both. Here's Tancredo's stated reasons, which lend credence to the pragmatic approach from the WaPo link:

QUESTION: ... where you have pointedly criticized Mitt Romney, questioning many times whether he has flip-flopped on other issues, and also questioning whether his rhetoric on this issue (OFF-MIKE).

TANCREDO: Well, it is undeniably the fact that we have met, that we have talked, and that, you know, you've got to do this. Again, go through the criteria, establish exactly what it is that you are looking for in a president. And as I say, I am convinced that he will do the things he said he will do in the areas that I -- specifically in the areas that I pointed out.

And there are things that we still disagree on. But you know what? There are things that I wish I could have gotten all the candidates to agree with me on, and that's not there.

I mean, if you look at it the way I presented it; if you go through the criteria, I think you come to the conclusion -- certainly, I have -- that I believe he will now -- I believe that he'll do what he says he'll do.

I'm not asking him to do more. I'm not asking him to do things that he is opposed to. I'm just asking him, and I believe he will do the things that I have laid out here.

And remember that the last part of that criteria is very important -- "and go the distance."

I mean, somebody's going to win this race. You know, somebody's going to be the president of the United States. It's not going to be me. So, really, what you're looking for is that person that you can hope and pray that will carry on -- and I do that. I put my faith there.

I think Fred is more closely in agreement with Tancredo's immigration policies than Romney, and much to my and Fred's dismay, Romney looks more of a winning horse than Fred, hence the endorsement.

The deed is done, but I just wonder if Tancredo came to this conclusion on his own, or if it came after some Romney carrots found their way onto Tancredo's plate, especially given the very close race in Iowa between Huck and Romney.