Posted on 02/28/2008 12:37:54 PM PST by jmc813
While Ron Paul's presidential campaign is sputtering to an unimpressive close, his congressional campaign is beginning to look more and more like a slam dunk.
A recent Public Policy Polling poll shows Ron Paul clobbering Chris Peden in the race for the Texas 14th District at 63 to 30. That may be surprising to some, but it really shouldn't be. Paul has faced a Republican challenger just about every election cycle. A challenger that has received at least implicit support from the national Republican Party. And Paul continues to clean up.
Peden is making a big deal out of the two local papers who have given him the endorsement, and is trying to paint Paul as an anti-family and anti-war radical. Since Paul voted no to a proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage as an institution for one man and one woman, and failed to support a ban on gay marriage, Peden has seen this as an opportunity to claim that Paul--who has been married to the same woman for 51 years, has 18 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild--opposes traditional family values. And as everybody knows, Paul does not support war in Iraq, which Peden sees as an unwillingness on Paul's part to defend the nation against terrorists.
The voters in the district, however, are having none of it. Amongst voters who consider morality and family their central issues, Paul's lead is 65 to 28. Young people, meanwhile, are the largest voting bloc for Paul. Amongst them, Paul leads Peden at a staggering rate of 75 to 11.
In terms of fundraising, Peden has managed to raise in the vicinity of U.S. $150,000. That's impressive. Or, it would be, if it wasn't for something like 5/6ths of that money coming from Chris Peden himself. But 150 grand for a Congressional run is no pittance, regardless of the source. How does Paul compare? He's raised a meager 1.053 million.
While Peden's fundraising is styled after Mitt Romney, his visuals and logo are inspired by McCain.
Here's Peden's logo:
And here's McCain's:
Oops, wrong McCain. Here's McCain's:
Does Peden have a hope? I don't think so. Not when District 14 constituents say things like, "I have an immense amount of respect for Ron Paul. Politics has a way of forcing people to go against their core principles for political gain. That has never been the case with Ron Paul."
Quotes like that are easily had in the disctrict, although this has an interesting source--it was Chris Peden himself who said that about Paul on January 17, 2007. The same guy who, just one year later, thinks Paul needs to be booted out of his seat.
But he won't be. So even though Paul might not become the next President of the United States, he will still be making gold standard, anti-war in Iraq, and pro-gun rights speeches in Congress for a long while still.
Anti-government Gunslingers, also known as libertarian conservatives—believe in smaller government, states’ rights, gun rights, and that, as Reagan once said, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’”
that’s me.
polar opposites aren’t we?
That we can agree on completely. The election is less than a week away.
‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’”
The way I see it, Paul also claims to be 'from the government, here to help', he is just creating one faction of the government fighting another.. I say screw them all, let them stick to national defense.
There's no logical reason why one cannot be an "anti-government gunslinger" as well as a "freedom crusader". At least that's kinda roughly what I am, with a major chunk of the fiscal conservative cheapo thrown in.
Correction/clarification on previous. PaleoCons- non interventionist (isolationist) who thought we shouldn't have been involved with WWI or WWII- pre Wilsonian)- Paul and Buchanan
Goldwater Cons- Limited government but not isolationist. Eisenhower, Reagan for example. I fall into this camp.
You can see this split when Ron Paul said of Reagan (because of foreign policy) he made Jimmy Carter look Conservative.
Paleo Cons call Goldwater Cons and NeoCons, NeoCons eventhough NeoCons reject the limited government role of Goldwater Cons.
Yea dude, but you have the real problem of liking hippie music.
Well, I want Paul in Congress. There is nothing wrong with keeping a good healthy dose of non-intervention, non-entanglement thinkers in the party. Constitution — A OK by me. Small government — Ron Paul actually votes for it. He is in the right place in Congress and I wish we had 100 more like him.
Why would a majority of voters in Paul’s Congressional district decide to vote for Paul again when Paul has an isolationist point-of-view on foreign policy issues?
ROFL! Love that animated gif!
Uh-uh McCain! No no no!
At least I'm not into that death-metal Satan music you dig. I actually appreciate a frighteningly diverse range of tunes. My latest kick has been late-'30's/early-40's big-band.
Which reminds me, when I get home tonight, I need your opinion on a particular harcore/metalish band whose name I can't currently recall. One of the kids at my friend's restaurant played it on the jukebox, and I kinda dug it, so I wrote them down with the intention of downloading to the iPod. I just want to make sure I'm not a total n00b for downloading this.
If you want the simplest answer, you have to be an absolute moron to lose a congressional primary as an incumbent. People vote for what they're used to. That's why we're stuck with the idiots we've had for all of this time here in Jersey.
I think you also would be surprised at the quality of some of the Gothic Metal, especially European, out there. HIM, Edenbridge, Lacuna Coil, Leaves Eyes, Tristiana, & Nightwish all have a clean musical sound I think you’ll like. Of course, nothing gets me working like Nine Inch Nails & Metallica. :->
I realize I'm totally opening myself up to being made fun of but there was a tune that was mildly popular on radio a few years back from Germany (I think). The words were something like, "Das.......Du Hass.....Du Hass Me" a few times, and then a pretty kick-a$$ guitar part. I really dug that song.
Off the top of my head, that reminds me of a Ministry song.. Also, Paralysed Age has something like that.. I could be way off.. If it was playing in the States and sounded German (with good guitar sides) it may have also been Eisbrecher..... OK, just checked my iPod.. Eisbrecher has a song called Wilkommen Im Nichts you may be able to Google a sample of it or see if there is a preview on iTunes.
If and when a national idiocy party is formed, Ron Paul should make himself available for a draft! He would be a hands down favorite to lead that party!
What flavor of "Mantern" candle should Bramanti buy?
Guess who won? Ron Paul.
Last week's poll was what you thought the hot girls who weren't allowed to fly. Ron Paul won that as well.
That would be me, as well. I ain’t no big gummint “conservative” by any stretch of ANYBODY’S imagination! And I will resist until my dying day those who promote big gummint “conservatism.”
I haven’t seen a poll in this race from a source that I trust.
I can only tell you what I’m seeing in Ron Paul’s district, which is that he’s actively campaigning for the first time.
There must be a reason why he feels he needs to do that.
He’s vastly outspending Peden, and with the power of incumbency, he’s got to be considered the favorite.
I’ve already cast my vote for Peden in early voting here, and I’ve not yet met someone at the office who supports Ron Paul. That’s not definitive in the least, though, since my office isn’t in Ron Paul’s district.
The people in Victoria may feel quite differently than the people who live in Houston suburbs, and Ron Paul represents all of us. It’s a weird district, to be sure.
Isn’t Victoria where “Stone Cold” Steve Austin comes from?
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