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Opinions/Editorials Title: The surprising candidacy of Ron Paul In a year of flameouts, nonstarters and unfulfilled potential, one Republican presidential candidate is clearly exceeding expectations. His name is Ron Paul. He is eccentric and sometimes appears a little cranky, but the septuagenarian candidate has done several things that Mitt Romney can’t claim. He has raised more money in this campaign than in his last (Romney has raised more than Paul but less than he did in 2008). He has enlarged his base of support and has risen in the polls over the course of the year. Nobody thinks Paul is going to win the Republican nomination. His antiwar, anti-interventionist views on foreign policy put him well out of the Republican mainstream. Some of his libertarian views — on the legalization of drugs, for example — led him into embarrassing statements in an early debate. But on fiscal and economic issues, the tea-party-infused Republican Party has moved in his direction. His advisers say his views on debt, deficits and the destruction of the dollar are shared by the overwhelming percentage of people who call themselves Republicans. The other candidates have joined him this time around in his attacks on the Federal Reserve and its chairman, Ben Bernanke. The Texas congressman is making himself a force to be reckoned with, particularly in this state. Ask Iowa Republicans which campaigns are well organized for the Jan. 3 caucuses, and there is widespread agreement that Paul may have the best operation going. “If there’s organic organizing activity, probably Ron Paul’s the most perceptible organization like that in the state right now, with new people who haven’t been involved before,” said Matt Strawn, the Iowa Republican chairman. Paul and his team have worked to become more professional, strategists say. “We’ve taken a movement and built it into a serious campaign,” said Trygve Olson, a senior adviser. Paul’s operation has benefited from the expertise and experience of people who helped elected Paul’s son Rand to the Senate last year. They made a more concerted effort in last summer’s Iowa straw poll to identify and turn out their supporters. Paul finished a close second to Michele Bachmann. His advisers think they miscalculated the turnout and could have won under smarter assumptions. Here in Iowa, Paul is tied for second with Romney in a round of recent polls, with both trailing former House speaker Newt Gingrich. Paul has a passionate following and one that is no doubt limited. But he could play the role of spoiler to Romney or Gingrich here or elsewhere. Four years ago, Paul did better in New Hampshire than he did in Iowa. Strong finishes in the first two states could help Paul strengthen his claim to more serious status among the candidates. South Carolina and Florida will be tough sledding for Paul. But he is working to organize the caucus states that come later in the cycle and could do well in them. Given his resources and his stubborn determination, he could stay in the race for some time, accumulating delegates that he will try to convert into influence at the Republican National Convention in Tampa next summer.
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