Ron Paul Not Running for Reelection to the House
Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tx.) won't be running for reelection in the House, his Washington, D.C., office has confirmed. Paul shared his decision with The Facts, a Brazoria County, Texas, website, shortly after informing his staff.
"I felt it was better that I concentrate on one election," Paul told The Facts. "It's about that time when I should change tactics."
A Paul staffer told Reason's Brian Doherty that the decision came as a total surprise when Paul told his office this morning. Paul's congressional staff were not able to comment on whether this means the Texas congressman will try for a third party run if he doesn't win the Republican primary.
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Secretary of the Treasury in the Bachmann Administration.
Let's hope that he'd rather die than to give any validity to the pig, Bachmann.
+1
the pig, Bachmann
Bachmann is a cop?
[rim shot]
worse.
http://www.rollingstone.com/po.....r-20110711
worse.
http://www.rollingstone.com/po.....r-20110711
Oooo. I want a rim shot too
Pigs sleep and root in shit. That's a filthy animal. I ain't eatin' nothing that ain't got sense enough to disregard its own feces.
But bacon is good. Pork chops are good.
Hey, sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'd never know 'cause I wouldn't eat the filthy motherfucker.
And yet, I'd bet you'd fuck a woman who'd sleep with the likes of you. =O
Oh man, I will never forgive your ass for this shit. This is some fucked up repugnant shit.
Horeshit
Bachmann is a true limited government conservative. She had the cojones to back Obama and extend the Patriot Act, something you liberaltarians don't have a clue about.
lol.... 3/10
Backing Obama and the unconstitutional and unpatriotic "Patriot Act" are unforgivable. It takes cojones to follow the constitution and entrust people with their god-given liberty. Your cowardly attitude disgusts me.
Lol.
Donderooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Backing Obama and the "patriot" Act are NOT signs of being a good citizen, let alone a politician.
President: Ron Paul
Vice President: Andrew Napolitano
Economic Advisor to the President: Gary Johnson
One can dream...
i'd make gary johnson secretary of pot brownies
President Ron Paul
VP Gary Johnson
Chief Justice Andrew Napolitano
Speaker of the House Jeff Flake
Prez Gary Johnson
Vice Prez Tom Ridge
AG Cuccinelli
SOTH Paul Ryan
SOS Sarah Palin (she's a good mascot, plus its totally lolzy - I'm serious though)
Perhaps some chemicals will help that dream along . . .
New SCOTUS justice Alex Kozinski.
Kozinski thinks that Kelo was rightly decided.
I did not know that.
but animal porn!
So does Ron Paul unfortunately.
Janice Rogers Brown.
+1 billion
Press secretary: The Jacket
Calculon for President!
"Take back your gilded pen, Father. Signing bills into law was always your dream, not mine."
"The President is dead. Congratulations Mr. President."
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
HA-ROOOO!
"Vice President: Andrew Napolitano"
Until a SCOTUS vacancy opens up.
President: Ron Paul
Vice President: Rand Paul
Attorney General: Andrew Napolitano
Treasury Secretary: Peter Schiff
Secretary of Defense: Tom Woods
Secretary of State: A career diplomat, not a politician
Pres: Ron Paul
VP: Rand Paul
AG: Andrew Napolitano
Treasury: Old Mexican
Defense: None
State: None
I win.
Woah now, a third-party run would get me to vote.
Seriously, if the other options on the ballot are Romney/Bachmann and Obama he might be able to siphon off a lot of progressive support for Obama, the estranged anti war movement, and a significant chunk of the Tea Party voters, not to mention the usual 2% that votes libertarian.
If he picked Gary Johnson, I'd vote for that ticket in a heartbeat. It would the first truly satisfying vote in a long time. If you think about it that might not be a bad strategy. Work within the GOP primary to gain exposure, but then attempt a Ross Perot style run to cement libertarians as a real viable alternative to the statists running in both parties.
The hell with that. Put Johnson at the top and let Paul ride off into the sunset.
I don't get why you would care if he runs as an independent or as a Republican. He's the same guy either way. The best thing you can do is to register Republican to help make Ron Paul their nominee. On a Republican ticket Paul would be almost guaranteed a win in 2012, if he runs as an independent Obama is almost guaranteed to win.
He's not going to win the Republican primary.
Thanks Nostradamus.
The Republican base loves war, it's not going to happen.
And neither is Romney
Intrade has Romney as the forerunner at 34% likelihood. Who is your favored candidate?
Sounds like "Not Romney" is at 66%, so SIV may be on to something.
I'm completely cool with him running as an independent but in reality it will be nearly impossible to win as independent, so the focus right now should be on getting as many independents and democrats who support Paul to join the Republican party for a year and vote Paul in the primaries. Political parties are incredibly easy to hijack if you advertise that goal correctly. Hopefully even though you don't think he has a chance you still vote for him in the primary otherwise you are part of the problem.
Ron Paul ran one of the worst campaigns I've ever seen last time around.
I can hope for Perot-style waves being made as a 3rd party candidate, but Paul will not be the Republican nominee. It's a certainty.
Have you failed to notice that this campaign is completely different? Ron is going to every county in Iowa, has snatched Romney's spot for the straw poll (the one Bush had before Romney) has hired top pollsters and advisers and has and had early staff in the early states, who have been organizing like crazy. It is up to you if you want to help him win or would rather have done nothing and pretend 'he wouldn't have won anyhow' if he doesn't.
They've called me 3 weeks in a row to see if I was going to the straw poll in Ames next month.
They keep calling me too. It's starting to get annoying.
Which is precisely why I think a 3rd party run will be better because there is no chance in hell he will get the GOP nomination. I spend most of my time in the libertarian echo-chamber, but even I'm aware of who the rank-and-file GOP voters are going to pull for.
A ~10% showing in the general would be enough for the formation of legitimate third-party in the future, likely a coalition of reform-minded disaffected progressives and independent voters.
"Progressive" voters aren't going to back the most conservative member of Congress.
Progressive voters will vote for someone who is serious about reforming rampant corporate subsidies, the drug war, and stopping wars abroad. Rank and file GOP supports all of those things in their current form.
No they won't. Progressives love corporate subsides, as long as they're going to the right companies. Green energy, unionized auto workers, etc. are good and deserve tax dollars.
They also have no problem with war if a D is President. Partisans are all about Team RED/BLUE. Nothing else matters.
They will if we convince them that RP as a candidate is a poison pill that will guarantee Obama the election.
A ~10% showing in the general would be enough for the formation of legitimate third-party in the future
Ross Perot got 19%. The Reform Party lasted about 8 years.
Gary Johnson's campaign up until now is, IMHO, worse than RP's 2008 effort.
Gary Johnson's campaign up until now is, IMHO, worse than RP's 2008 effort.
Gary Johnson's campaign up until now is, IMHO, worse than RP's 2008 effort.
rp's posts are worse than my efforts
A year? Where do you live? I'll probably join the Republican party for about 5 minutes again to vote in the primary, but that's about all I can take.
HERP!
An independent run for Ron Paul would be great, but let's not give up yet. The Republican field is exceptionally weak this time.
Romney is the only formidable candidate, and RomneyCare will limit his appeal to conservatives. Bachmann is a loon who will implode long before January 2012. Perry, Palin, and Giuliani are too indecisive and waited too long to get in.
Gingrich and Cain have no real campaign and are short on cash. Pawlenty, Huntsman, and Santorum have gained no traction, despite lots of media attention. Gary Johnson has been ignored by the media, despite the best record of any governor in the race.
Ron Paul has the best record on the biggest issue in the race, and more actual supporters than anyone else at this point.
Let's say Paul actually becomes a threat to get the nomination, and Republican voters have somehow "forgiven" him for opposing the wars. Right before Super Tuesday he gets asked this question in the debate:
"Senator Paul, do you think we should legalize cocaine and heroin?"
Thus ends the Paul camapaign in the GOP primary.
Or we start the newsletters stink all over again, along with some choice questions about the Civil Rights Act, the causes of the Civil War, and other sideshows he won't be able to stop himself from answering.
I actually think it might be Perry getting the nomination, God help us all.
He should know how to answer than question in a way that won't hurt him. If he says "yes", he's in trouble. If he says "I think we should leave it to the states to decide", then he should be alright.
If he says "I think we should leave it to the states to decide", then he should be alright.
RP has been in politics a long time and has run for President before. Hasn't he had plenty of time to formulate politically effective responses to questions like this?
Oops, I meant "Congressman Paul"
"Senator Paul, do you think we should legalize cocaine and heroin?"
Ron Paul: "I think we should legalize liberty. We need to stop the government from making decisions for adults. Liberty can only exist if people are free to make their own choices, even bad ones."
Followup: "So that would be a yes, Congressman?"
Right before Super Tuesday he gets asked this question in the debate: "Senator Paul, do you think we should legalize cocaine and heroin?"
He was already asked this in the first debate. He answered yes, and his support went up after that.
I gave up on Paul years ago. Why support Paul when you can support Johnson? It's the same basic libertarian candidate but without the undertones of racism and Christian fundamentalism...
Gary Johnson couldn't get himself to 2% support to get into the NH primary debate.
He is not a national figure.
It's too bad. I like him, too.
With this move, I'm betting on a Paul/Johnson indie run.
Did you just accuse Ron Paul of being racist?
I think you did. Suck a meatsicle, glibster.
No. I said undertones of racism. We all know that he probably didn't write his own newsletter articles, but nevertheless, there they are.
It's really a shame.
He'll never be president, but we desperately need him in the House, where he's been the conscience.
A conscience that will now be lost.
Some might suggest that Paul would be more free to speak his mind minus the unavoidable constraints and compromises inherent in holding a Congressional seat.
However he'll be easier to ignore or write-off by the powers that be.
Sarah Palin is as influential as any public figure out there and her current job title is reality TV star and Fox News Commentator.
The message will live on.
"Sarah Palin ..."
I'm not sure that RP has the charisma/attention whore/train-wreck qualities that have allowed Palin to continue to get attention.
the powers that be
Who would that be? Who has the "power" to prevent you from listening to Ron Paul or visiting his blog or buying his books or watching him on television or receiving his emails and tweets? For all the "social networking revolution" talk here, some folks sure are defeatist, if not paranoid.
Exactly. His voice will be sorely missed. Here a just few moments that he will still never get his due for:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLm7Sw402xE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlacFmRGPgI
Jonesin' for that GOP presidential nomination, eh?
He might as well go to L.A., pop some 'roids, put in a few hours at the gym, and run for Mr. Universe.
Even without doing any of that I bet he'd clean your clock.
Ignore the house retards, sage.
Right. Right. Sorry?
Don't let it happen again.
Danny's a troll, without a doubt, but he/she's got a point.
Have you seen or do you even know any of the GOP base? Stroll on over to Free Republic or Townhall and see what folks think about Ron Paul. There are too many dipshits out there who think Herman Cain or Sarah Palin would be a better choice for president. I've even encountered a few of those folks here.
Realistically, Paul won't be elected President in 2012. I'd rather have him in Congress than just have his name on fading bumper stickers. I'm sad that he doesn't feel the same way, though I respect his decision.
The dude is in his 70s. He might just want to not have to fly to DC 20 times a year if he doesn't win the presidency.
I think you nailed it.
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. He'll either be PotUS or retire. For a guy in his 70s, that sounds like a good deal. I'd like to see him as PotUS, but I know I'd want to retire when I was that age (younger, actually).
I think 20 is a conservative number. Also, IIRC, his district is bigger than Vermont. Honestly, how much do you think he enjoys visiting all of those municipalities?
Does he need to attend maple syrup chugging contests at each?
Pelosi is in her 70s, too.
Parts of her are considerably newer.
Hand grenade!
"I heard from a reliable source that she has a surgically-implanted baboon's uterus."
Oh, I thought they replaced her with a baboon's ass.
"I myself have personally grafted a pony's face to the torso of a well-known celebrity."
Damn. Politically I'm not a lockstep Paul devotee, but I really do like him a lot and this news saddens me. I think yet another viewing of Slacker is in order for this week.
Yeah, this is his last hurrah. He's inspired a huge movement, and there are enough engaged citizens to keep things going, especially with his son in the Senate, with a lot more power and influence already. I won't bitch about him deciding he's had it with politics.
Ron Paul has been elected to non-consecutive terms before. If he doesn't win the presidency, he might still run for the House again sometime in the future.
No. Read Lew Rockwell's perspective on why it's going down.
Note that Rockwell is a former RP staffer and a current close ally of the Congressman.
Didn't realize he had metal knees. Does he really have the TSA hassle him every time? I thought Congressscum had voted themselved the privlige of bypassing the security lines at airports, but it wouldn't surprise me if RP went through with it to show solidarity with us proles.
yeah they stuck a hugely democratic county into the district.
And strong candidate for the authorship of the Survival Reports, if other RP staffers are to be believed.
There's no replacement for you, Paul. There are only neo-cons in the horizon, forming lines with bayonets a-blazing.
+1
I think this may be bigger news than we realize.
We all know that he is not going to be our next President.
But he IS our current Chairman of the House Monetary Policy Subcommittee.
Now the Bernankes and Fed Apparatchiks of the World know that this "little pest" will soon be gone. They can delay, stammer, and obfuscate and know that they will soon be rid of him.
I wish that Ron Paul had held off on making this announcement until the latest possible date. 🙁
Yeah. Paul had a chance to make a difference.
Obviously, I think he has every right to retire. But getting 1% in the Presidential election is not the best thing he can do for the country, if does he still want to be in politics.
Yes, I wish he had held off to.
I'd say he's doubling down on the 2012 Presidential election. He's either going to win or ride off into the sunset.
vagina?
That sound you heard is a huge sigh of relief from the Texas liberals and Tea Partiers.
The last primary election, the TP sent three candidates to run against Paul. It didn't work out too well for them. And we know how successful liberal candidates have been in his district.
http://www.foxnews.com/politic.....allengers/
What a stupid move by the TP.
Unfortunately, like many other "rah-rah America number one!" Americans, TP-ers bought the concept that America is great because the military is so awesome, despite the fact that a) There's no need for it, and b) There's NO MONEY for it.
When a person of steadfast principles like Rep. Paul points out the obvious (the Emperor has no clothes,) the TPers will feel insulted, as if their very patriotism was being put in question. TPers, like most Americans, are just as enamoured of Fascism as their liberal counterparts; they are not willing to accept the obvious or stomach the reality that Paul and people like him point out.
Who reelected Ron Paul? It wasn't a bunch of cosmo-fags. Fundy Christians and "Tea-Party types" put him in Congress.
SIV with the immediate invocation of KULTUR WAR...
Who reelected Ron Paul? It wasn't a bunch of cosmo-fags. Fundy Christians and "Tea-Party types" put him in Congress.
Who is to blame for all the shitbag Republicans? Did evul libruls vote them all in as a false flag operation?
BOOOM!
More like he had delivered half the babies in his district so everyone knew him. Since 1996 of course he's had all the advantages of incumbency.
To claim the Tea Party put him in Congress is kind of bizarre.
Way I heard it they were rep and/or dem plants calling themselves tea party. One of the drawbacks (among a lot of benefits) of being a "movement" vs a "party." People can hijack your brand with a little media support.
Especially when it's the liberal, freedom-hating FOX News.
I was under the impression that those candidates were TPINO and not supported by any of the major Tea Party groups.
Chances are I'm probably going to vote for Paul this time around, but I fear that even if he does get the Republican nomination it will be another Goldwater vs Johnson election and send the message that we want the nanny state and you'd better not speak out against it.
Then again, maybe I'm reading support for Obama wrong and it'll be another Carter vs Reagan election instead, except I think Paul will actually do what he says he's going to do if he's elected.
Still, to this day, the 1964 election is portrayed as sane (Johnson) versus crazy (Goldwater).
I prefer to think about it in terms of good (Goldwater) versus evil (Johnson).
Can't understate the impact that LBJ succeeding the very popular JFK had either. LBJ probably would've won the election in different circumstances, but I think Goldwater would've had a better run if he weren't running against the heir to an American martyr.
Exactly. The sympathy vote from JFK getting capped is what assured TEAM D victory.
Goldwater talked about this in his autobiography. He declared his candidacy while JFK was still alive. Despite all of the "Camelot" horseshit propounded by Arthur Schlesinger and others after JFK's death, JFK was not particularly popular by 1963 and was perceived as being quite beatable in '64. Goldwater said he knew immediately after JFK's assassination that LBJ would win in '64, but that he kept running anyway in order to advance conservative principles.
Skimming the google news, I see that this has mainly provided an opportunity for every news outlet to remind us that he's a "long shot".
Ron Paul is a longshot, Romney is the frontrunner, and Falling Skies is a hit for the same reason: the media deemed them so.
With "limited but passionate" support, facing an "uphill" campaign.
very bold move ... Dr Ron is all in for the win
Bozo the Clown has a better chance of winning. Has Bozo thrown his hat in the ring?
Bozo doesn't even have a hat, dumbass. You're thinking of Cookie.
As sad as it will be to see him go, I do think this is a very good move. It opens up the chance for an independent or 3rd party run, ideally with Gary Johnson as VP.
There's probably no way he'd run in 2016, so this is his last real chance to make a tidal wave on the big stage, and his name recognition is at a national peak. He's probably aware he won't win the GOP nomination, but if he runs as an independent or 3rd party candidate, he loses his chairmanship of the Fed Oversight committee, his "clout" in the House and many of his Tea Party pseudo-allies. If he's retiring anyway, that's a risk he'd be willing to take.
As an independent it's probably unlikely he'd win as well. But there's little question he has enough support to get into the national debates between Obama and the GOP nominee, and to get his issues out there and force the other candidates to defend their authoritarian positions.
Paul would also have to target the Left (by focusing heavily on foreign policy and civil liberties) more vigorously than the Right, or else he'll be seen as a pure spoiler that got Obama reelected.
I'd prefer that he stay, but if this is the equivalent of a retirement announcement after the presidential campaign, that's his call.
It would be nice if he could find an heir apparent to his seat.
HERC!!!
or not.
HERC!!!
or not.
You actually think that you have to point out that it's his call? Do you think anybody suspects it might be your call what the boring old fuck does? Jesus Christ! Who ties your shoes for you?
I may cry. Won't have Ron Paul to kick around anymore after this.
Oh, well, I can still blame Christ-fags for my hangnails and inability to get an erection.
Ron Pual!
Maybe he will take up publishing racist shit full time.
Maybe he'll take up a hobby....like fucking you up the ass while writing light erotic fiction on your back.
Couldn't blame Ron Paul if he wants to get the hell out of Washington and go home.
Yeah, he's lived off the public tit long enough.
Obviously RP should run as a 3rd party candidate, and some of the Paulitarians are itching for that. I just don't think he's sane enough to pull off a Ross Perot.
Absolutely. Sanity is not Ron Paul's long suit.
@Max; trying hard for the troll here, there, and everywhere. How is that working out for you?
Because Ross Perot was so sane?
Do you jerk off with the same hand with which you sockpuppet Max?
I respect the heck out of the fact that Congressman Paul isn't going to be one of these guys who desperately hangs onto power until the day he dies.
A class act and a good man all the way. I'll miss him greatly.
As a proud member of the Fightin' 14th I'm real damn sad to see the doctor go. He's been a great congressman, and a great representative of our area.
I just hope that douchebag lawyer from Pearland doesn't decide to run again now that Dr. Paul is out of the picture. I'd hate to see our libertarian leaning district become just like the rest.
All of Paulkind will miss him.
Why this announcement? Maybe RP
1. is tired of the Congressman life with its various hassles.
2. is not willing to run for reelection in a deliberately sabotaged district.
3. sees this cycle with its weak incumbent President, plethora of Republican challengers without a clear leader and the intense focus on fiscal matters as the best chance he will ever get to win the big race and wants to maximize his chances.
4. same as 3 except eying the possibility of being VP.
5. is thinking that by acquiring support, he is creating added leverage and removing barriers to being tapped for a cabinet position, possibly as head of the "Fed Activities Review Team" or something.
6. is so upset about the Republican Party, its interventionist stands or something that he wants to grab as much attention as possible, then run third party in order to sabotage the Republican nominee, whomever that might be.
7. is just grandstanding and, if his fortunes take a dive in the primaries, will renege, file as a candidate and run for the House again.
8. wants to cash in as a lobbyist after the primaries.
9. already has a supermodel mistress lined up and intends to spend the rest of his years as an international celebrity playboy
10. sincerely wants to give a clear signal to those who want his seat.
As an idea, Ron Paul is an inspiration. As a reality, I struggle to find the words.
He better run independently if he doesn't get the GOP nomination. And if people would vote their conscience, including writing in who they've wanted all along instead of practical concessions we would get a feel for how voters actually feel and think about the candidates.