Where Will Ron Paul Voters Turn?

Politico: Dedicated Supporters Attracted To His Unique Platform Are Up For Grabs

(The Politico)  This story was written by Ben Adler.

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With iconoclast Ron Paul having ended his quixotic bid for the Republican presidential nomination - his platform had called for, among other things, ending the Iraq War, repealing the PATRIOT Act, returning to the gold standard and eliminating taxes on tips - his many dedicated supporters are up for grabs.

Even excluding his support in caucus states, Paul received a few more than a million votes in the Republican primary, finished second in five states including Pennsylvania and Oregon and continued to draw votes well after he’d effectively withdrawn from the race. His campaign also tapped into the potent new vein of online fundraising, punctuated by the so-called “money bomb” day when his supporters, unaided by his campaign, managed to pump $5 million into his coffers in 24 hours.

It’s a support base that could make the difference in a close election, and while there’s no guarantee that his supporters will turn out at the polls for GOP standard-bearer John McCain, one thing seems clear: Despite their overlapping anti-Iraq war positions, Barack Obama will not make major inroads among them.

Paul’s campaign says he is unlikely to endorse anyone. Absent that endorsement, many of his campaign officials expect Paul’s votes will splinter - and the names of Libertarian candidate Bob Barr and Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin come up at least as frequently as does Obama's.

“I would be very surprised to see many people going for Barack Obama,” said Jesse Benton, Paul’s campaign spokesman. “Barr will pick up some, but the majority will go Republican or stay home.”

“Obama’s probably getting the least support from Ron Paul supporters,” said Marianne Stebbins, Paul’s state coordinator in Minnesota. “Fewer will vote for Obama than Bob Barr. There will be some because the war is such a big issue, but they can also vote for Barr.”

Paul's unique mix of views, which included privatizing social security, allowing states to legalize medicinal marijuana, opposition to abortion rights, enhanced border security and opposition to environmental regulation attracted a rabid following of supporters to his campaign. Their activity online - one popular conservative blog banned pro-Paul comments after being inundated with them - and their campaign donations delivered Paul from obscurity to the top tier of Republican candidates. He raised $17.75 million in the last quarter of 2007 - the most money of any Republican.

The organizing success led to strong finishes in many primaries, particularly among younger voters. In Iowa, for instance, he attracted just 10 percent of the vote overall, but took 21 percent of the vote among caucus goers younger than 30.

While it had little impact on his base of political support, Paul found himself the subject of widespread criticism when racist remarks published in the 1990s in the Ron Paul Political Report, a newsletter he’s distributed for decades, came to light in January. Unsigned articles - which Paul denies having written or even read and says he disagrees with, but some of which had personal details that corresponded to his - in the newsletter bearing his name attacked blacks, gays and pro-Israel groups. One article claimed that "order was only restored [after the 1992 Los Angeles riots] when it came time for the blacks to pick up their welfare checks."

“I don’t see Ron Paul supporters voting for Obama,” said David Hart, Paul’s Montana state coordinator. “They recognize Obama’s positions are diametrically opposed to things we believe in.”

For some Paul supporters, the only way they can see supporting McCain is if the presumptive GOP nominee reverses his core positions on foreign and economic policy.

“Unless McCain does make changes in his platform,” including abandoning his support for the Iraq War and renouncing deficit spending, “I don’t think [Paul supporters] will be voting for him,” said Hart, who hopes to attend the Republican Convention as a delegate for the state. “They will more likely be voting for the Constitution Party or Bob Barr.”

“It wouldn’t surprise me if a lot of the disaffected Republicans would cast their vote for Bob Barr because he’s much more conservative than John McCain,” said Jeff Greenspan, Paul’s Nevada state coordinator.

Although Paul is often called a libertarian, his supporters seem to be significantly more conservative than most libertarian-leaning voters, who were nearly split between Bush and Kerry in 2004.

Paul “tapped into anti-war, socially conservative voters,” explained Brink Lindsey, vice president for research at the libertarian CATO Institute.

“A lot of [Paul supporters] are going to vote a straight Republican ticket,” said Jean McIver. “A number will vote Republican for everything but the president.”

Others, though, will vote for McCain as the lesser of the two evils with a chance of taking the White House. “A lot of [Paul supporters] are in a quandary over McCain,” said Jean McIver, Paul’s Texas coordinator. “Some will vote for McCain because they don’t want Obama to win.”

Paul’s campaign officials also complain that his supporters have felt shunned by the Republican Party, particularly at state party conventions where they have often come out in large numbers. In Nevada, the state party attempted a rule change that Paul supporters say was intended to tamp down the large number of them running for positions at party delegates. In states where the primary is non-binding, such as Montana, Paul's grassroots activists who have been elected to attend the RNC still may cast their ballots for him.

And Paul is holding his own rally in Minneapolis during the convention.

“A lot depends on how Republicans treat people who come to support Ron Paul,” said Benton.

The McCain campaign says they will reach out to Paul’s voters on a personal level and that they will win them over. “Unlike Barack Obama, John McCain does not believe that government is the answer to every problem,” said McCain spokesman Joe Pounder. “At the end of the day, Ron Paul supporters will find that their positions align more often with John McCain.”

But the Obama camp also hopes to pull in some of Paul’s voters by appealing to the same discontent with mainstream Republicans that drew them to Paul. “We think disenchanted Republicans and independents will choose Barack Obama over John McCain for the same reason they chose Ron Paul over John McCain ... a war that has made us less secure, a debt that will burden our children and grandchildren and degraded our Constitution, and instead of change, John McCain offers more of the same,” said Obama spokesman Hari Sevugan.

But some Paul supporters are concerned not only that Obama does not share their domestic positions, but also that he is not anti-war enough.

“Obama’s voted for continued funding of the war,” said Debbie Hopper, Paul’s Missouri coordinator. “His foreign policy isn’t noninterventionist, as we believe it should be.”

“He’s very much into supporting the war effort even though he says he’ll withdraw,” said Hart of Montana.

Left-leaning independent candidate Ralph Nader - whose views on activist government domestically are diametrically opposed to Paul’s - has attempted to get in on the potential Paul-supporters vote bonanza. Nader issued an appeal to Paul’s voters immediately after Paul dropped out, saying, “there is a clear choice for those who want to support a candidate who will stand up against the war and stand up for personal liberties and privacy.”

But Nader’s plea seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Not one of the Paul activists interviewed for this article mentioned Nader.

“I sure haven’t heard anybody talking about him,” said Hopper.

[homespunlady]

What is it with the multiple copied posts on every article I''ve seen concerning Ron Paul? Guess it effectively targeted his supporters as either crazy or palsy patients.
That aside there were several interesting comments.
Personally I sided with him on his BIG 3:

- 1 - the OVEREXTENDED American Economy

- 2 - The UNNECESSARY and BANKRUPTING Iraq War

- 3 - A dollar that SHOULDN''T BE just an UNBACKED ginned up piece of paper spitting out full speed ahead from a bunch of PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL BANKERS!!

IF you research the background and membership of the FED and it''s OWNERS - THE REAL STORY BEHIND OUR FALLING DOLLAR becomes PAINFULLY CLEAR.

The rest of the platform Dirty Laundry list that the Author apparently believes is important I COULD CARE LESS ABOUT.

UNFORTUNATELY, BOTH major parties could care less about what concerns me and have DEGENERATED into a PETTY BEAUTY CONTEST where the contestants are sounding more like that poor dumb Beauty contest girl on utube and less like REAL LEADERS facing the TOUGH decisions our FAILING ECONOMY will DEMAND.

Hmm..so which will it be vote for one of the PANDERERS or simply WRITE IN Ron Paul?

I''ll check out Bob Barr and compare. After that, throw away vote or not I''ll decide.

Might be FUN writing in Paul just to see how HONEST our LOCAL VOTE COUNTS ARE!

[lgonzales4]

I believe that the battle before us this election is not between liberalism or conservatism, but the kind of globalism that destroys individual sovereignty and promotes tyranny.

The Republican Party is unworthy of the trust and loyalty that Ron Paul supports have given their candidate. The Republican Party leaders have been either despondent or belligerent to our views and issues. I''m not interested in playing party politics for them this year.

My vote will go to either the Constitution Party, or I will seriously considering Mr. Nader because of his life long commitment to consumers rights and the multitude of public works he has championed.

[lgonzales4]

I believe that the battle before us this election is not between liberalism or conservatism, but the kind of globalism that destroys individual sovereignty and promotes tyranny.

The Republican Party is unworthy of the trust and loyalty that Ron Paul supports have given their candidate. The Republican Party leaders have been either despondent or belligerent to our views and issues. I''m not interested in playing party politics for them this year.

My vote will go to either the Constitution Party, or I will seriously considering Mr. Nader because of his life long commitment to consumers rights and the multitude of public works he has championed.

[lgonzales4]

I believe that the battle before us this election is not between liberalism or conservatism, but the kind of globalism that destroys individual sovereignty and promotes tyranny.

The Republican Party is unworthy of the trust and loyalty that Ron Paul supports have given their candidate. The Republican Party leaders have been either despondent or belligerent to our views and issues. I''m not interested in playing party politics for them this year.

My vote will go to either the Constitution Party, or I will seriously considering Mr. Nader because of his life long commitment to consumers rights and the multitude of public works he has championed.

[lgonzales4]

I believe that the battle before us this election is not between liberalism or conservatism, but the kind of globalism that destroys individual sovereignty and promotes tyranny.

The Republican Party is unworthy of the trust and loyalty that Ron Paul supports have given their candidate. The Republican Party leaders have been either despondent or belligerent to our views and issues. I''m not interested in playing party politics for them this year.

My vote will go to either the Constitution Party, or I will seriously considering Mr. Nader because of his life long commitment to consumers rights and the multitude of public works he has championed.

[lgonzales4]

I believe that the battle before us this election is not between liberalism or conservatism, but the kind of globalism that destroys individual sovereignty and promotes tyranny.

The Republican Party is unworthy of the trust and loyalty that Ron Paul supports have given their candidate. The Republican Party leaders have been either despondent or belligerent to our views and issues. I''m not interested in playing party politics for them this year.

My vote will go to either the Constitution Party, or I will seriously considering Mr. Nader because of his life long commitment to consumers rights and the multitude of public works he has championed.

[lgonzales4]

I believe that the battle before us this election is not between liberalism or conservatism, but the kind of globalism that destroys individual sovereignty and promotes tyranny.

The Republican Party is unworthy of the trust and loyalty that Ron Paul supports have given their candidate. The Republican Party leaders have been either despondent or belligerent to our views and issues. I''m not interested in playing party politics for them this year.

My vote will go to either the Constitution Party, or I will seriously considering Mr. Nader because of his life long commitment to consumers rights and the multitude of public works he has championed.

[lgonzales4]

I believe that the battle before us this election is not between liberalism or conservatism, but the kind of globalism that destroys individual sovereignty and promotes tyranny.

The Republican Party is unworthy of the trust and loyalty that Ron Paul supports have given their candidate. The Republican Party leaders have been either despondent or belligerent to our views and issues. I''m not interested in playing party politics for them this year.

My vote will go to either the Constitution Party, or I will seriously considering Mr. Nader because of his life long commitment to consumers rights and the multitude of public works he has championed.

[lgonzales4]

I believe that the battle before us this election is not between liberalism or conservatism, but the kind of globalism that destroys individual sovereignty and promotes tyranny.

The Republican Party is unworthy of the trust and loyalty that Ron Paul supports have given their candidate. The Republican Party leaders have been either despondent or belligerent to our views and issues. I''m not interested in playing party politics for them this year.

My vote will go to either the Constitution Party, or I will seriously considering Mr. Nader because of his life long commitment to consumers rights and the multitude of public works he has championed.

[shanklinmike]

I will be voting for Bob Barr. He is the only other candidate that will get 50 state ballot access and the only honest party built on principal in the libertarians. I have to go with principle over fake promises! McCain and Obama, I see right through you! Too bad the republicans have been taken over by social republicans. This country and it''s constitution have some rough times ahead of it! I think Bob Barr will be a great addition to the libertarians, especially as he learns from past mistakes the neo-cons steered him towards. I just wonder how a Ron Paul person could vote for Obama, McCain, or Nader....... None of them represent constitutional government! None of them represent Ron''s message better than Barr! There might be others to do it better than Barr but they will not get enough recognition this year nor get ballot access. www.lp.org

[jamesorleans]

"Paul''s unique mix of views, which included privatizing social security, allowing states to legalize medicinal marijuana, opposition to abortion rights, enhanced border security and opposition to environmental regulation"


I had to stop here in the article, this is not news. Included at my stopping point is a very biased and short list of items in Mr. Paul''s platform. Funny how fiscal responsibility (i.e. bloated government), anti-foreign intervention (i.e. anti-Iraq War) and strong currency (i.e. anti-Fed intervention) didn''t make the list. Do you think those positions might be a bit more important than the lame ones mentioned in this little hit piece? I should have stopped as soon as I saw the mainstream media''s favorite cliche term "quixotic".

What has happened to journalism? Where is my Economist?

[studdock-2009]

Running a campaign on individual liberty and a return to the constitution is quixotic?

I guess lancing Iraq and fighting "evildoers" is not at all quixotic...
/dumb

[studdock-2009]

Running a campaign on individual liberty and a return to the constitution is quixotic?

I guess lancing Iraq and fighting "evildoers" is not at all quixotic...
/dumb

[jivedadson]

I''ll stay home.

[jivedadson]

I am a huge Ron Paul supporter. I campaigned, contributed the max, and organized a meetup group. Unless there''s a local or state issue that I have a strong opinion on, I plan to sleep in on election day, as is my habit. If a decent, honest, and intelligent man or woman who will obey the Constitution is ever nominated, then I will vote again. I am not optimistic, but we will keep on trying. Join The Campaign For Liberty.

[king_quest]

SHE MARRIED A MAN WHO IS BOTH BALCK & WHITE, GET OVER THE FAKE, SHIZZIT. She is no diffrent than you! Have you ever gone through a diccovery period, or ever had an epiphany or is this new to you? People have a right to question anything and everything, it is call free will, protected by free speech.

you can have your own opinion but not your own facts!!!!!!!

[ricknhouston]

Thank you King_Quest forkeeping us all informed on the "Numbers", however, There is one number that is forever absent, the one that nobody wants to see, hear or talk about! Can anyone guess which one that is ? Let me help ... it''s the one that tells us of the estimated 25,000 military men and women who, since Operation Dessert Storm in 1991, have taken their own lives. Yeah, you read it right ....25,000! And that was last years count taken by an independent news correspondent. Why did a "news correspondent" want to know these numbers, you ask! Because they are not kept, reported on, included or even acknowledged by the Pentagon. Why not? For the same reasons they don''t let you see the flag draped caskets being offloaded at Andrews AFB.... because GeeDubya told them to!

[obama8years]

This may appear racist, but its the truth, and if the Obamas are not vetted, we dont want any surprises later on. So I will post some things that seem shocking but true.

Politico.com received a possibly redacted copy from the Obama campaign recently. The excerpts show that Obama identifies with black militancy, utterly obsessed with race in America and her own blackness. It is a fundamentally racist document.



Obama%u2019s thesis is full of paranoid claims and overtly racist feelings. She cannot accept the idea of a diverse student body working together in a melting pot. Others worry about her black militancy here.

%u201CI have found that at Princeton, no matter how liberal and open-minded some of my white professors and classmates try to be toward me, I sometimes feel like a visitor on campus; as if I really don%u2019t belong. Regardless of the circumstances under which I interact with whites at Princeton, it often seems as if, to them, I will always be black first and a student second.%u201D

Not only does she see separate black and white societies in America, but she elevates black over white in her world.

%u201CThere was no doubt in my mind that as a member of the black community, I was somehow obligated to this community and would utilize all of my present and future resources to benefit this community first and foremost. %u201C

What is Michelle Obama planning to do with her future resources that will elevate black over white in America?

[king_quest]

SEN. BIDEN: We already can do that. Let''s get the facts. You''re entitled to your own opinion, not your own facts. Forty million acres leased offshore, number one. Number two, the first well to be dug from the time they lease, if Lindsey gives them access to more area, it''ll take 10 years from the time the lease is let to the time oil comes out of the bottom of the sea in the new leases.

[king_quest]

SEN. BIDEN: Let''s get this straight...

SEN. GRAHAM: ...the price for gas.

SEN. BIDEN: ...they can do that already.

SEN. GRAHAM: No, they don''t. There''s a federal moratorium on off-coast drilling.

SEN. BIDEN: No, no, no, no. There''s a moratorium on--no, this is off-coast. Where do you think the 40 million acres are, Lindsey? They''re off the coasts.

SEN. GRAHAM: So.

SEN. BIDEN: They''re off the coasts.

SEN. GRAHAM: So.

SEN. BIDEN: Forty million acres off coast. They want to get to the other 600 million acres that are not included in this.

SEN. GRAHAM: I thought we were talking...

SEN. BIDEN: The 79 percent of the reserves they already have access to, off your coast and mine.

SEN. GRAHAM: I thought we were talking--I thought the question that we were asked is there''s new resources being made available by lifting the moratorium.

SEN. BIDEN: That''s simply not true.

SEN. GRAHAM: It''s not? Well, that would be news to everybody.

SEN. BIDEN: There are existing resources that they have available that they''re not drilling for now. Those are the facts.