Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Congressman Tom Tancredo, a pro-life Republican from Colorado, made his bid for the GOP nomination for presidential official on Monday. He traveled to Iowa, the site of the first presidential caucus, and told a radio program that he is an alternative to the establishment candidates in the race.

"When I look at the field of candidates running for president, I don't see anyone discussing the topic to the level it needs to be discussed, so I am going to run for president," he said during the statement.

The congressman said he chose talk radio to make his announcement rather than a large press conference because it gives him "a megaphone I would have never had" and added that he's spoken with 1,800 radio programs about his beliefs.

Tancredo is mostly known primarily for his stance against illegal immigration but has voted against abortion and embryonic stem cell research.

Tancredo has been a solid pro-life vote in Congress and earned a 100 percent pro-life voting record from 2005-2006 from the National Right to Life Committee.

During the 109th Congress, Tancredo voted against funding either abortions in various situations or embryonic stem cell research. He voted repeatedly to uphold parental consent and notification laws on abortion and supported a bill telling women of the pain their baby will feel during an abortion procedure.

Tancredo has a perfect pro-life voting record with the group dating back to 1999 with the exception of one vote on a bill that NRLC worried would ration health care for seniors by limiting their access to prescription drugs paid for with their own funds.

Last week, he chose former CNN commentator Bay Buchanan, the sister of former GOP presidential candidate Pat Buchanan, to chair his exploratory campaign.

The congressman joins top-tier potential candidates such as former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and Arizona Sen. John McCain. However, both support forcing taxpayers to fund embryonic stem cell research and Giuliani backs legalized abortion.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney says he opposes both but he is a recent pro-life convert. Meanwhile, Sen. Sam Brownback is seen by many as the strongest pro-life candidate in the field.

Other potential Republican candidates include former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, who opposes abortion but backs embryonic stem cell research, pro-life ex-Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, pro-life Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, and former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore who backs abortion but also many limits on it.

Pro-life Rep. Duncan Hunter of California is also in the running as is Texas Rep Ron Paul, who is pro-life but has a mixed voting record on abortion.