Ron Paul Says He'll Raise $12M For Quarter

Longshot GOP Candidate Predicts Polls Will Shift Once He Spends It

(AP)  Republican Ron Paul said Sunday his upstart presidential campaign is on track to raise more than $12 million this quarter, boldly predicting the Iowa polls "are going to continue to shift" once he's finished spending it all.

Speaking on CNN's "Late Edition," Paul said he had raised roughly $10.4 million so far in the quarter beginning Oct. 1, an amount that is already double the $5.2 million he pulled in during the third quarter. A big online fundraising effort planned for Dec. 16 could push the fourth quarter's total higher by several million, he said.

"We are going to be way over our goal of $12 million," said the 10-term Texas congressman. "And, I mean, at this rate, it could be, you know, maybe $14 million or $15 million. It just is astounding."

"People are ready for some changes," Paul said. "It really tells me that although I had a great deal of concerns about the country, the American people were equally concerned and they are willing to put their money with a candidate who is willing to state these positions, all of these concerns, whether it is the foreign policy and coming home, or the irresponsible spending here."

Paul, a former Libertarian who stands apart from the other GOP presidential contenders by opposing the Iraq war, was running fourth in Iowa in a recent Des Moines Register poll behind rivals Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, and Mike Huckabee, and tied with John McCain.

Citing the Constitution as his guide, Paul opposes law enforcement or anti-terrorism measures that he believes encroach on civil liberties. His views on small government extend to reducing if not eliminating the Education Department and the Department of Homeland Security. And he favors limiting immigration and strengthening border security.

Kent Redfield, a professor of political studies at the University of Illinois at Springfield, said in a telephone interview that Paul's strong fundraising numbers demonstrate how grass-roots efforts via the Internet can help lesser known candidates compete on a more equal footing to higher profile contenders.

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The Money Race
Check out the third quarter tallies for Republicans and Democrats including how much they've raised and spent since the campaign began.

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"It's a model for other candidates on how to get on the radar and meet the basic threshold of moving beyond being a niche or vanity candidate," he said. "But he'll have to show in New Hampshire and in the caucuses that he can build on that."

Paul said he expects his poll numbers to move up. He has devoted a significant amount of resources on ad buys in the early states of New Hampshire and Iowa.

"People are just starting to think about how they are going to vote in these primaries," Paul said. "The people are really annoyed with conventional politics and we are spending this money. We are spending it in Iowa. So I think those polls are going to continue to shift. Our numbers are going up."

[macusweil]

"Sorry, but all the Ron Paul spam has turned me off from him."

It''s not spam .. it is REAL enthusiasm!! These are real citizen with real concerns about the direction for this country. Think about it. When was the last time you saw that for a Presidential candidate. We see similar excitement in the Dem side for Obama & Clinton, but on the GOP side flat except for media hype.

Nobody is getting paid to spam or write great things about Ron Paul. The amazing things is these great things are actually true not just spin!!

Congressman Ron Paul stands the best chance to win the presidency since his views make the most sense to the most voters. He''s not middle of the road, right wing or left wing or any of that nonsense.

Ron Paul has a clear message: Let''s hold our government accountable, stop the free spending habits of both parties and bring our troops home & out of harm''s way as quick as we possibly can.

Under sound leadership this country will be back on the course of freedom, liberty & prosperity for all out citizens. America will once again be the land of the free & home of the brave where the true patriots are those who question the government not those who blindly follow.

www.ronpaul4all.com

[cfin5]

Citing the Constitution as his guide,.......That''s all we ask for in a presidential candidate. You can''t get anymore fair than that folks. I believe him because in how he handles the money allocated to his offices budget. At the end of the cycle, if there is money left over, and there usually is, he returns it to the US Treasury. If we can trust him in a little thing (although rare) like that, it seems likely he can be trusted with much larger amounts of our money. What''s left of it that is no thanks to the neocons and neolibs!

[candide777]

Ron who?

[hwy71so]

Sorry, but all the Ron Paul spam has turned me off from him.

Don''t believe all the biased polls. Ron Paul is actually ahead of Romney and Thompson. Vote Ron Paul!

[prophet18]

HOPE FOR AMERICA: PRESIDENT RON PAUL

-- No more meddling in other country''s political affairs
-- No more aggressive military actions overseas
-- No more torture prisons
-- No more pseudo-wars like the "War on Drugs"
-- No more IRS and unconstitutional income taxes
-- No more Federal Reserve (the group of private banks which owns our government)
-- No more erosion of Social Security to pay for militarization
-- No more U.N. (one world government) participation
-- No more NAFTA, CAFTA, WTO or GATT
-- No more North American Union
-- No more federal gun control laws
-- No more illegal aliens pouring-in over our country''s borders
-- No more illegal aliens allowed to roam freely in our streets
-- No more national ID cards (Real ID Act)
-- No more government invasion of your privacy
-- No more federal Laws which are not authorized by The Constitution
-- No more federal erosion of State sovereignty
-- No more unlimited federal government

They don''t call him "Dr. No" for no reason. The Doctor is in! Join us in this 21st Century political revolution at ronpaul2008.com

"Liberty, when it takes root, is a plant of rapid growth."
- George Washington

"if we suffer tamely a lawless attack upon our liberty, we encourage it, and involve others in our doom."
- Samual Adams

"Ron Paul doesn''t represent your Father''s school of political thought. He represents your Founding Fathers."
- Me

[von_marko]

Ron Paul... Ross Perrot??.. They have more in common then their initials.

The difference is that Ross Perrot took votes away from Republicans ans Ron Paul will take votes away from Democrats. GO RON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[titoj2]

RP for pres! woot woot! Make sure we get video of all the votes being counted.

[antoniof123]

You neo cons have moved to slow the old saying is true.

Too little too late.

Fool me once (Nixon), shame on you. Fool Me twice (Bush) shame on me. Fool me three times never again not a snowball chance in hell.

[the9th-2009]

It''s a satisfying thought that, despite MSM''s taking the trouble to crop Paul and Kucinich out of pictures, bury reports at the bottom of news stories (if any mention of them is made at all), these "bottom tier" candidates can run down J and L streets, making an end-run on K street by raising bucks on the web.
Maybe "bottom-tier" isn''t so bad a label, either; it means these candidates are closer to the ground, where the rest of us live.

[tucano2]

I skipped a Starbucks and sent the price of a latte to Paul''s campaign. 200 million Americans are doing the same thing. Painless to support a patriot.

[gunownerdan]

Dr. Ron Paul is the man!