E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSNBC's Mark Murray joins NewsNation to explain how Ron Paul's decision affects the 2012 campaign.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul said Monday that he'll cease campaigning in upcoming caucuses and primaries, an announcement of symbolic, if not substantive, significance.
Paul, the libertarian-minded congressman who'd sought to convert his grassroots support and fundraising prowess into electoral success, sent a letter to supporters announcing he'd stop spending money on forthcoming nominating contests.
"Moving forward, however, we will no longer spend resources campaigning in primaries in states that have not yet voted. Doing so with any hope of success would take many tens of millions of dollars we simply do not have," he said in a statement.
The announcement changes little, though, for the Paul campaign. While the candidate had continued to hold rallies in Texas and California -- at which, his campaign boasted, thousands of attendees would appear -- those events were sporadic at best. Moreover, Paul had hardly been a regular presence on the campaign trail since the earliest contents, and he had largely eschewed primaries in favor of caucuses, where his enthusiastic supporters threatened to influence the outcomes.
But Paul never won any of those caucuses, and his campaign turned its attention in recent weeks to the obscure process of delegate allocation on the state level. The Texas congressman said Monday that his team would continue in its bid to accrue delegates.
"Our campaign will continue to work in the state convention process. We will continue to take leadership positions, win delegates, and carry a strong message to the Republican National Convention that liberty is the way of the future," he said.
Paul's endgame in pursuing delegates (affecting the platform, maybe, or even winning a spot for him or his son on the Republican ticket) is far from clear. Paul announced last year that he would not seek re-election, spurring speculation that his son, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who was elected in 2010, might inherit the Paul political organization.
Leave a Comment:
The funny thing about Ron Paul is Obama lovers bash him like he is just some other republican and Romn ey lovers bash him like hes some crazy far out guy.
You want to know the truth about Ron Paul? He's the only candidate we've had since Nader who actually knows how to run a country and be a president of the P E O P L E. Romney's campaign is entirely funded by big scary corporations. So who do you think hes going to support as president? IT AINT THE PEOPLE!!!!
Obama is in a similar boat, lots of big corporations lining his pockets. As we can see from the last 4 years Obama did more showboating than making any real change (and don't give him credit for creating more jobs, it was bound to happen anyways).
Ron Paul may have crazy views but you are just as crazy as he is if you think he would actually be able to make those changes happen. No it takes far too much power for him to do something like Axe the Fed or return to a gold standard.
But you know what? I'd feel safer with Ron Paul at the helm than Obama or Romney and you should too.
Maybe Paul can get back to his job isn't he getting paid to be in Washington DC and representing his Texas District in Congress. Gee talk about a clown out running around on the tax payers time and telling everyone how the government is screwing them. Paul is a bigot who wrote and sold very racial papers back in the late 80's. I can't listen to this idiot and his son what a clown he is had to move from Texas to get elected to the senate because the people in Texas know what a clown he is. Now Kentucky that is a different horse they keep Mitch McConnell in office don't they.
Isnt the O'Reilly fan club over there? >>
Party favourite candidates are real idiots, i.e. whoever front runners are, if you ask me.
Paul is better than any of those, except he's not a rich guy. Talking about racist propaganda is just a way to discredit Paul as you have nothing better to prove.
Party favourite candidates are real idiots, i.e. whoever front runners are, if you ask me.
Paul is better than any of those, except he's not a rich guy. Talking about racist propaganda is just a way to discredit Paul as you have nothing better to prove.
Ron Paul is telling America the truth on many issues, but America is choosing to believe we can continue with "business as usual", continuing to play world policeman, handing out money to foreign governments we don't have, keeping military base's all over the world we don't need, continuing to spend trillions we don't have, etc, etc. We are living in a dream world. We can only run these huge deficits because there are people still willing to lend us money. That day will end soon and when it does, 2008 will be back and then some. Maybe then people will be ready to listen to what Ron Paul is telling them.
What another biased report, people better check out youtube's videos of the crowds that attend Ron Paul's campaign stops around our country, because there are way more people there than I have yet to see for any of the other candidates. There are also many sign waves in support for Ron Paul.
This "down with the people" news report is really lame.
Meanwhile, Mitt and Obama spend millions of our taxpayer dollars through the same companies we bailed out. Ron Paul is in it to win it, and he has my vote!
Ron Paul might pull a WTF moment down here in TX during the primary, but he will not win the GOP nomination. He should have gone under (L) Libertarian.
What are you some type of oracle? Only time will tell and to try to predict the outcome of this rapidly changing election would be ignorant.
Ron Paul supports should ALL join the Libertarian Party and rally behind Gary Johnson! The USA needs a third party - real bad! This 2-party monopoly has been going on for way too long. They take money (lots of it) from Big Corporate lobbyists whose only interest is making the masters richer and the slaves more dependent of them. Look at the mega churches as a great example on how to brainwash people and get mega rich of them. The money goes to God and Charities - taxfree! Yea, right. If you consider your pastor as a God and a Charity! LOL And the USA government is the best government money can buy! The interest of 99% of the American population is TOTALLY ignored. Change the system, vote for a third party. The Libertarian is the most common sense alternative. Vote your conscience!
you are so right alexthegreat. the 2 party system isn't working. unfortunately the masses don't understand that yet.
Multi-party systems have their own troubles. You think it's hard to get a majority vote with two parties? Try Canada or England, where the members of the government are apportioned according to how many votes each party gets. It's a nightmare, trying to get a half dozen major parties to agree on anything.
well that doesn't sound good either. could we maybe just add one more?:)
Good riddance. Ron Paul is a danger to anyone who values clean air & water, food that's safe to eat, fair working hours and payment, equal treatment for women and minorities, education, and health care.
The movement Ron Paul started has eclipsed him. To be fair, it has always been about the ideas and never about one person. There are now millions of people who have had the curtain pulled back and see what is rotten about this government and its political system. They are independent of the Paul campaign and well-organized. They are winning local, state, and federal offices. They are winning the hearts and minds of citizens with calm, reasoned, compelling arguments and clear evidence.
The Paul movement is just a stepping stone toward a nationwide - if not worldwide - revolution of ideas against the autocratic status quo and a re-dedication to the tenets of individual liberty. Stay tuned. We are just getting started.
Inclusive? Gays allowed? Minorities allowed? The social safety net still secure? What about women and their role?
Freedom is for one and all. It is only by the heavy hand of government that we are carved up into groups and set against each other.
whew...it's about time!!!
lie upon lie, you media people make me want to vomit!
yeah the 5-7000 in Austin alone was a pittance wasn't it?
In which he's won 11 states now.
Whatever we'll still have a brokered convention (anyone remember Roosevelt?)
Please elaborate: exactly what are the 11 states Ron Paul has won? Last time I checked, his count was zero.
1SG,
Paul is from TX, so yes he has a lot of people showing up. Yes, Paul delegate count is over 100 and counting but Paul is not going to win at the convention. It is time for you to vote for Romney if you are a conservative or not vote at all.
Pay attention Cameron Ford we are going to have a test later.
NEWSFLASH American sheeple, esp you "REPUBLICANS" Mitt Romney = Barrack Obama, with one or two differences.
If Ron Paul does not win in Tampa, then Americans will be doomed between choosing between Persident F and Presidential hopeful F- and liberetarian Gary Johnson who will be getting my vote in that case.
there you have it, BAROMNEY.
You Paulites are crazy. Obama and Romney have the exact opposite stance on most issues. How can you possibly say they are the same?
You call us "sheeple" but look at yourselves: falling in line with the Ron Paul talking points and spouting the same talking points and slurs (like using words like "sheeple") as the next Paul fanatic.
I didn't know that Romney had an actual stance on anything. He just panders to whatever group of retard sheeple he's in front of.
Obama = Romney (at least 85%), and therefore they are NOT opposite!
Cellisis, please provide examples of the 85% of issues that Romney and Obama have an identical stance on.
They're both bitches of the political parties they represent and the corporations that control them. That's like 90% right there. The only differences they have are petty, like who has to pay for birth control (which is of course a really big @!$%#ing deal for a lot of really stupid @!$%#ing people). A lot of us are a bit more concerned with turning -16,000,000,000,000 into +.01 or more and ending wars.
The email he sent out to supporters actually said: "Moving forward, we will no longer spend resources campaigning in primaries in states that have not yet voted. Doing so with any hope of success would take many tens of millions of dollars we simply do not have...."
He is budgeting the money more than anything else. Since Paul does not get support from Bankers, this is the smart way to do!!! The results of primary are easily rigged by voting machine and since it is GOP internal affair, you can not even sue over the cheating.
Put resources on Cauccus State and accumulate delegate is the right way for now! But believe me, his grassroot in Primary state will continue no matter what!!
So in other words... all the "money bombs" and "record donations" that his supporters constantly brag about? Not getting spent. Going straight into Ron's pocket. The guy is a huckster and a scam artist.
You've got to be kidding. Are you seriously going to say that the GOP is stealing votes from Paul? Time to make an investment in tin foil.
AMAZING... No coverage until he says he's ceasing from active campaigning with just a few states to go.
WE ARE STILL IN THIS TO WIN THIS....DELEGATES ` DELEGATES `DELEGATES
SEE YOU IN TAMPA
No coverage? No coverage? Do a search for Ron Paul on this or any other news site once.
The guy has received plenty of coverage. Perhaps more than he deserved, considering he hasn't won a single state or actually done anything newsworthy to warrant that kind of coverage. The media is not Ron Paul's personal publicity agent.
The media isnt Ron Paul publicity agent? Well it sure is Mitt's!
And to say that Dr. Paul got all the coverage he deserved is crazy... And he has five state wins needed to be eligable for the RNC ballet, as Carl Cameron pointed out. People like you make me chuckle.
When it hits the fan, history will show that Paul was the lone voice of sanity in the mist of corruption and greed and big spending...
We will regret that we did not heed the warning from Ron Paul!
Now even Ron Paul is in on the conspiracy to deny Ron Paul the GOP pres nomination
Half of these comments are 99% dim-witted.
You can add yourself to that number.
The Establishment Candidates are a joke. They are brought to you by Koch Brothers, Coca Cola, McDonalds, and DuPont.
At least President Obama's 2008 campaign was funded largely by small-amount donors.
Are you kidding? The largest financial donor to BOTH Obama and Romney this year is GOLDMAN SACHS!
They are two of the same, sorry to disapoint you Athiest. Do more research.
GoldmanSachs was one of his largest contributors. Who are kidding Athiest.
Gasoline is still 45% higher than 2010 and 62% HIGHER THAN 2009. In 2009 in a Los Angeles Times interview Obama said gasoline may necessarily have to go to $5.00 a gallon to force the U.S. to develop alternative fuels (Solyndra anyone?). What he meant to say is gasoline needs to go to $5.00 a gallon so the Wall Street speculators can pump more into Obama's election campaign. Gas prices fluctuate around this time of the year and the prices would be about 40% cheaper if the speculators were reined in and that is Mr. Obama's fault. He control's the appointments to the heads of the SEC, EPA and other regulatory agencies. Their policies are his policies.
As for Ron Paul, he has some good ideas and some not so good ideas but his message of getting the government out of our lives is sound. We don't need a socialist nanny state taking care of us from cradle to grave, thats how the US has been gradually losing its competitive edge. Too many lazy citizens expecting the government to do it all. My hope is that if Romney doesn't pick Ron as VP then give him Treasury Secretary that way he can get the financial situation back in order. Even Ron Paul admits that getting back to the gold standard would be next to impossible but abolishing the Federal Reserve ( and dragging Bernanke out in chains) would be a great step.
You are staring at the finger that points to the sky.
You want to cut in half what you pay for gas by tomorrow? Carpool with one other person. You want to cut it by two-thirds? Carpool with two other people.
Americans want to drive around in an SUV that gets 12 miles to the gallon, and want to fill their tanks for $1.59 a gallon.
We are spoiled brats.
Doesn't sound promising, unfortunately. Sounds like he's aiming for a good speaking spot at the RNC or a platform change - which, don't get me wrong, would be great. However, there is not a snowball's chance in hell that I will vote for Romney or Obama. SO...
Helloooo Gary Johnson!
Gary Johnson or Buddy Roemer (or even Jon Huntsman). All decent candidates that were largely ignored.
Half of Americans eat at McDonalds at least once a week and somehow find it in their hearts and minds to look beyond the layers and layers of all-that-is-wrong-with-this practice and accept it is something that is "okay to do". They ingest the advertising hook, line, and sinker.
Half of Americans vote for whom they are told to vote, not for whom the best candidate is. They follow the leader, the shiniest tour bus, the loudest voice, the prettiest face.
Who is going to notice that he's gone. This is the Right's version of Ralph Nader: a couple of empty suits. At least Ralph isn't a hate-filled racist.
"Hate-filled racist"?
I guess Obama is a closet Muslim terrorist then?
Grow up and think for yourself man.
Hmmmm..... No mention that he was specifically NOT invited to the RNC........ Seeing how GOPer's treat their own members, this is the party of expendables, everything from 2% to the 99%. Anybody who votes for them has got to be a profiteer from this depression. Otherwise, their only reason could be believing they will be invited to some elitist 1% cocktail party.... NOT! LOL.
Paul who?
Ron Paul was never going to be President. All he and his crazed supporters have done is help Obama with his reelection.
A Paul supporters non vote or vote for a third party is noting but a vote for the Obama campaign.
Keep it up Paul supporters and we will see Obama's ugly mug for another four years
You should be a bit nicer. The GOP is totally @!$%#ed without the backing of Ron Paul supporters, and will be for a long time unless Dr. Paul can talk some sense into the party.
The GOP party's ship has already grazed the iceberg.