Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, came in fifth in the Iowa Straw Poll in 2007. However, since then he has raised more money, gained greater recognition, and his message of cutting spending, balancing the budget, and rejecting compromise on shrinking the size of government has moved to the forefront,
The Washington Post reported.
The contest is liable to be a key indicator of whether Paul can turn his support network of devout followers into an organized and winning bloc. Where he finishes Saturday will not only be a test for his candidacy but for others in the GOP field. Should he poll better than Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., or former governor Tim Pawlenty both campaigns would be damaged. Should he top Rick Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator’s presidential run could be over, the Post reported.
“We would be happy with anything better than last time,” Paul campaign spokesman Gary Howard told the Post “Last time people didn’t take him seriously, but hopefully people will take him seriously now.”
The 75-year-old Paul is in Iowa this week campaigning with his son, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. In the next few days he will meet with voters in hotels and state fairs and will take part in the Thursday GOP debate, the Post reported.
“He is honest, and he is consistent; he doesn’t pander and play political games; he doesn’t say one thing to one group and something else to another group,” Britton Sprouse, 24, who is dedicating his summer to aid Paul’s straw poll effort, told the Post. “He is very smart on economics, he understands the Federal Reserve, and for all those reasons, he is the right guy.”
© 2013 Newsmax. All rights reserved.