Ron Paul Campaign Rejects Third-Party Buzz
Despite reaching the top tier of several GOP presidential polls, and being considered a real possibility to win the Iowa caucuses, Ron Paul has already been named as a potential third-party presidential candidate.
The 11-term Texas congressman refused to rule it out during an interview on Sunday’s Meet the Press, but his campaign vehemently denies he's heading down that road.
“Ron has said, over and over, that he does not plan to run third party. [Stop] making a story where [there] is none,” Jesse Benton, Paul’s campaign manager, said Monday in a text message to The Texas ...
Comments (13)
Danny Harris via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Ross Perot helped out so much as a third party candidate...
Dave Mundy via Texas Tribune on Facebook
There's a volatility suggestive of a third party, but no third party -- and Paullism is not third-party material.
Robert Rister via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Paul is great protest vote material. I like him personally although I think a Paul presidency would quickly become an unmitigated disaster. Many people would stop at "like him personally."
Dave Mundy via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Me too Robert, he's great as a congressman but the naive libertarian view of foreign relations would get us destroyed in a hurry.
Susan McDonald via Texas Tribune on Facebook
And the predatory 2-party view of foreign relations and economics hasn't?
Flora Choate Batts via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Paul's position on removing certain services from tax revenue, where you'd make the choice to pay for fire department services for example, is short-sighted and dangerous. (Like what just happened in Alabama.) One home that isn't protected and allowed to burn can threaten an entire community. Texas would go up in one big puff of smoke in the current drought conditions.
Paul R. Sweeney via Texas Tribune on Facebook
EVERYTHING about libertarianism is naive.
Aaron Day via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Flora, He has made no such recommendation. He has never recommended that the federal government be involved with local fire departments, services, etc whatsoever. He is not running for mayor he is running for President of the United States.
Aaron Day via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Paul S., great comment full of information and analysis. If everyone would quit attacking the pure libertarian straw man we just might avoid bankruptcy and save this republic.
Aaron Day via Texas Tribune on Facebook
David, with a noninterventionist foriegn policy and a strong domestic defense, who would destroy us? (no one ever answers this question...I don't expect anyone here will either)
Jim Parsons via Texas Tribune on Facebook
We've had third-party presidential candidates many, many times. They don't win. Someone needs to explain to me the combination of economics, demographics, marketing, and pure luck that would have to converge to put Ron Paul, or anyone else who is neither the Republican or the Democratic nominee into the White House.
Aaron Day via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Jim, that is why Ron Paul dismisses the idea when he is constantly asked the question. (He does not promise not to but has said theirs 99% chance he will not as he explains that 3rd parties are basically illegal in this country. The "2 party system" is enforced by statute in most every state in the union.) The subtext to this entire discussion is "Ron Paul please let us tell people that they do not have to vote for you in the Republican primary, because if that remains an option you are likely to win."
Phillip Gwinn
Ron Paul gets my vote in the primary and again in the general election. In the GE if he isn't the GOP nominee, then it's a write in.
The time for a new party is any decade now. The GOP began as a third party as did the Democrats. Each time a third party has risen, one of the big two went extinct. The silver lining in the two party system is that "something" gets done, even if it isn't what we want. Witness the gridlock over in Europe where some legislatures have multiple parties and factions. I think that once upon a time Greece was the poster child for the damage too many parties can do.
I like his foreign policy. We can be your best friend and trading partner or your worst nightmare if you mess with us. Best of all, we leave them alone to sort their own business out. Just butting out, and meaning it, will win hearts and minds.