Posted on 01/11/2007 6:06:07 PM PST by Rodney King
Texas Congressman Ron Paul files for GOP presidential bid
HOUSTON -- Ron Paul, the iconoclastic nine-term congressman from southeast Texas, took the first step Thursday toward launching a second presidential bid in 2008, this time as a Republican.
Paul filed incorporation papers in Texas on Thursday to create a presidential exploratory committee that allows him and his supporters to collect money on behalf of his bid. This will be Paul's second try for the White House; he was the Libertarian nominee for president in 1988.
Kent Snyder, the chairman of Paul's exploratory committee and a former staffer on Paul's Libertarian campaign, said the congressman knows he's a long shot.
"There's no question that it's an uphill battle, and that Dr. Paul is an underdog," Snyder said. "But we think it's well worth doing and we'll let the voters decide."
Paul, of Lake Jackson, acknowledges that the national GOP has never fully embraced him despite his nine terms in office under its banner. He gets little money from the GOP's large traditional donors, but benefits from individual conservative and Libertarian donors outside Texas. He bills himself as "The Taxpayers' Best Friend," and is routinely ranked either first or second in the House of Representatives by the National Taxpayers Union, a national group advocating low taxes and limited government.
He describes himself as a lifelong Libertarian running as a Republican.
Paul was not available for comment Thursday, Snyder said.
But he said the campaign will test its ability to attract financial and political support before deciding whether to launch a full-fledged campaign. Snyder said Paul is not running just to make a point or to try to ensure that his issues are addressed, but to win.
Paul is expected to formally announce his bid in the next week or two, Snyder said.
Snyder said Paul and his supporters are not intimidated by the presence of nationally known and better-financed candidates such as Sen. John McCain of Arizona or former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts.
"This is going to be a grassroots American campaign," he said. "For us, it's either going to happen at the grassroots level or it's not."
Paul limits his view of the role of the federal government to those duties laid out in the U.S. Constitution. As a result, he sometimes casts votes that appear at odds with his constituents and other Republicans. He was the only Republican congressman to vote against Department of Defense appropriations for fiscal year 2007.
The vote against the defense appropriations bill, he said, was because of his opposition to the war in Iraq, which he said was "not necessary for our actual security."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not b
As opposed to the cost of surrendering? No thanks.
Sounds good to me. There aren't any "good guys" in Iraq.
Yes, the Presidents plan is NOW a mess, but it was still the right course of action to take.
If you win the Primary, I'll vote for you, but I'll be holding my nose to do so...
well, in these things you have to weigh positives vs negatives. My first priority, personally, happens to be downsizing the federal government and repealing socialism. Ron Paul will do that, no question. In large part, I don't agree with him on the war in Iraq or WOT. However, I fear socialism and homegrown threats to liberty greater than I do islamic terrorists. Sorry, just IMHO. :)
I know a lot of good guys, and gals, in Iraq. They're fighting a war to protect us while some politicians are screwing them.
Try chlorpromazine or DU.
Yes, your Ron Paul would downsize the government alright...if Congress decides to go on extended vacation in celebration after he surrenders the nation.
They're singing his praises here. No loss is too great, even surrendering the war on terror, to sooth their political purity. And they claim Bush-bots will vote for anyone. LOL.
Ummmmm ....... .
;9)
The 1% have found their man?
Chief, do you know what category of pilots has the highest accident rate? Doctors. Highly trained, big ego's, they think because they excel in one field that they are automatically excellent in other fields. They end up breaking their airplanes.
If you were a CWO then you did a complicated job well. Think about what happens to the doctors before you go popping off about something you have obviously not thought about. I am sure your wouldn't attempt to impress an IG without consulting the AR's, please consult our Constitution and the Federalist papers before you start shooting from the hip. Everyone has an opinion, please make yours worthwhile if you are going to do a drive by post. Thank you.
Finally, a "true" conservative Cindy Sheehan can embrace.
The only Republican candidate I would vote for in a Presidential election. Hope to see a campaign committee established here in NC as I would be glad to volunteer to work for his campaign.
LOL -- well, there is that. WOW! You're right!
Yes, everyone has an opinion...surrender isn't one worthy of consideration. Screw "doctor" Paul.
Make that your tagline!
You accuse the President of allowing 3,000 young people to die so his buddies can make some money and you expect to be flamed for it? I can't see that happening.
I think I've finally found someone to serve as my new urinal target in the garage. About time anyway, pat buchanan's picture is starting to look a little yellow around the edges.
Hey keep posting it!! Great speech (as are most of Rep. Paul's speeches before the House). Of course big government interventionist 'conservatives' probably would understand his speeches about as well if they were written in Swahili.
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