Ron Paul Knows His Supporters Won't Reliably Be for Romney

Ron Paul talked to Fox Business about where the presidential vote of his fans might go:

Paul said, "Some will be angry at the Republicans for the way they retreated at the convention and they might not show up. Some may vote libertarian, some may go with Romney, and actually, some of the young people because of foreign policy, may even go with Obama. […] I know one thing for certain, that they're not all going to the one place because they're very individualistic and they don't see the consequences exactly the same."

For the former candidate, it goes back to frustration over the two-party system and why there are only two candidates who are debating tonight. Paul has not endorsed Romney, and in fact, he says he hasn't decided who he is going to vote for. Though, he added, "I don't think anybody thinks I'm going to vote for Obama."

Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party would certainly like Paul's fans, and Paul's endorsement, though I suspect that the obvious choice on the part of the larger Paul political machine to infiltrate and shift the Republican Party makes such an endorsement unlikely. Paul has, though, said he finds Johnson "wonderful."

For the full story of the political career of Ron Paul and his supporters, see my book Ron Paul's Revolution.

Comments

[sarcasmic]

Most. Important. Election. In. Our. Lifetime.

Must. Vote. Against. Obama.

A. Vote. For. Anyone. But. Romney. Is. A. Vote. For. Obama.

Rush 2112!

[Hyperion]

Great song.

And don't worry, if you miss this one, another most important election of our lifetime is coming up again in 2016, in which you must vote for the lesser of 2 evils. It's a long term theme that never gets old.

[Eduard van Haalen]

In 2008, Paul endorsed Baldwin, the Constitution Party candidates. We all know how Paul's supporters rushed and voted for Baldwin, right?

[Sam Grove]

I thought Paul simply urged followers to vote for third party candidates.

[Res Publica Americana]

I know this sort of thing won't go down well with most of you guys, but the overwhelming majority of Paul supporters I know personally are going to vote for Romney. They're now firmly in the Obliterate the Ebony Messiah camp. One wants to go for Johnson, and that's it.

[yonemoto]

well you can make that two. I was going to write in Ron Paul, but I decided to play along and vote for GJ.

[Hyperion]

It's the best way to punish the GOP, and man, do they ever deserve it. Of course it's also voting for the best candidate.

[Tulpa Doom]

some of the young people because of foreign policy, may even go with Obama.

Are they weapons-grade retarded.

[Episiarch]

Well, Tulpa, you're the expert on being weapons-grade retarded, so you tell us.

[Watoosh88]

If we're talking about a strict lesser-of-two-evils-scenario here, I think it makes some sense. Obama is terrible on foreign policy, but I find it very likely that Romney would find a way to out-neocon him. Obama seems content with technocratic tinkering with drones, no-fly zones and other less in-your-face forms of murder, but at least he has a slightly less rigid hard-on for a war with Iran.

In case someone is too thick to understand what I'm saying, and considers this an endorsement of Obama:

Obama bad. Bad horrible terribad. Romney, probably a little worse.

[sarcasmic]

I vote to erect Gary's Johnson.

[Eduard van Haalen]

Johnson supporters haven't improved on "The R[backwards 'love']ution just whipped out its" + picture of the candidate.

[yonemoto]

lacist!

[Brian Doherty]

While different people know different people, and there is no scientific survey data, my experience is very, very different. But who knows.

[Res Publica Americana]

Yeah, it's only anecdotal, and Paulites in different places probably have widely varying tendencies when it comes to their Plan Bs.

[Hyperion]

I could maybe be accused of being a Paulite, I do agree with him on almost all issues and I supported him until he dropped out. But I am voting for Johnson because now that Pual is out of the race, it is the right thing to do.

[Hyperion]

Paul

[I ?AM? INSI?? YOUR M?M]

I supported GJ in the primaries, then Ron Paul, and now will vote for GJ.

[Banjos]

I'm going to fill in all the bubbles and draw a penis on the ballot.

[BakedPenguin]

They're going to think you want to vote for Romney and Obama.

[Hyperion]

Like it matters, we all know that Obamney is going to win.

[SIV]

some of the young people because of foreign policy, may even go with Obama

What did they agree with Ron Paul on again?

[Paul.]

some of the young people because of foreign policy, may even go with Obama.

And they would do that why? If I were going to vote for a candidate based on foreign policy concerns, I'd do better by voting for Chuck, the guy who works the beer aisle at my local Safeway.

[Brian from Texas]

This is one Ron Paul supporter who Romney can forget about. The minute Romney officially got the nomination I went out to my garage, removed the Ron Paul sticker from my car and put a Gary Johnson sticker in its place.

[Dizzo001]

Why did no one besides me notice that the quote was wrong? The word retreated should be were treated...it makes it sound like the delegates ran away. The were treated horribly and that is why they will not vote for Romney.