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
I love Ron Paul and the Liberty Caucus. Great folks, generally fearless against the two entrenched liberal parties.
Who will run to succeed him in Congress?
Yawn!! He may get, what, 2% of the vote and call it a major victory?
How about we just call his cut-and-run, protectionist a$$ a RINO instead?
That's a lot more RINO then Giuliani or McCain, or heck, Arlen Specter, in my book.
Good news. I have already started spreading the word about Rep Paul to my friends and family. He has my vote in a heartbeat. I voted for GWB but he turned out to be a huge disappointment. I am ashamed more people like Ron Paul aren't at the forefront of American politics.
I would be nice to be invited to your Christmas Party if people like Ron Paul show up. :)
I like it!
Wow, he must really have you scared! So many posts against a non-starter. Are we going to hear another Republican whine about Ross Perot?
Ron Paul is a seditious piece of offal.
Of course, he probably had to pay to get somebody to show up at is press conference. During the Presidential primaries, write-in votes for Bugs Bunny will be the only thing he will be in competition with.
Nonsense. The Founders clearly demonstrated that they were willing to let the states make their own decisions outside a narrow range of federal powers, even if some of the states chose evil.
http://antiwar.com/paul/
It appears he has a regular column on that kook site.
Here's some light reading for you to catch up on what has been going on the last few years:
'We'll pay all expenses to gain the knowledge from bin Laden and convey a message back'
1999 ABC News Report : The Osama - Hussein Connection
1999 AP Flashback: Saddam has offered asylum to bin Laden
262 mass graves discovered in Iraq
ABCNews: New Documents from Saddam Hussein's Archives Discuss Bin Laden, WMDs
Britain finds Iraq's 'smoking gun': a top-secret missile
CASE CLOSED (Osama-Saddam Link Proved in Intel Cmte Brief)
Cyanide Salt Block Found in Iraq
Document Details WMD Recovered In Iraq, Santorum Says
Document: Afghani Taliban Consul Spoke of a Relationship Between Iraq and Bin Laden See Translation
Document: Iraqi Intelligence To Train Arab Feedayeen Terrorists In the Year 2000 (Translation)
Document: Saddam Ordered Biological And Radiation Test on Presidential Sites Attacked by US in 1998
Gadhafi: Iraq war may have influenced WMD decision
Intelligence backs claim Iraq tried to buy uranium
In cells, telling reminders of Saddam's repressive regime
Iraq May Have Been 'Far More Dangerous' Than Believed, Kay Tells
Iraq, Bin Laden Planned Saudi Opposition
Iraqi chemical weapons found by Polish troops
Iraqi Documents: Plans To Produce Prohibited Chemical Weapons Precursors (Translation)
Iraqi officer in al Qaeda, papers show
Iraqis share graphic tales of regime's torture chambers (Gruesome read)
LIBBY PROSECUTOR LINKED SADDAM TO OSAMA?
March 2001 Document: Saddam Regime Plans to Strike American Presence and Interests (Translation).
March 2001 Document: Saddam Regime Recruits Suicide Terrorists to Hit US Interests (Translation
Oil for Food: Hussein's Regime Skimmed Billions From Aid Program
Putin says Russia warned the U.S. of planned attacks by Saddam's regime (Attacks on the U.S.)
Saddam 'diverted aid to bomber families'
WMD Breakthrough: Post-Iraq, the world's proliferators are on the run
And of course this website:
Actually Ron is quite literally a "Republican in Name Only": "He describes himself as a lifelong Libertarian running as a Republican."
I'd rather have a libertarian leaning Republican than a demopublican.
Duncan Hunter is the candidate I will support.
"He thinks we should do away with the Air Force; are you down with that?"
I'm for making our military more efficient. If that means consolidating the branches, so be it. I'm thinking there is a little duplication of effort in that budget.
The race is young... that may change due to the myriad of factors out there... who else do you support?
I've no problem with the War on Terror(ists).
I have a problem with using the military as Social Workers with Machine Guns.
Bush's clueless neo-Wilsonian nation building efforts are getting old.
Let's stick our strengths, nation-wrecking, not nation building.
How about Ron Paul/Dennis Kucinich: Identical foreign and military policies?
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