Why Ron Paul won, again
Ron Paul won the CPAC straw poll, and what really surprises me, frankly, is that so many people are surprised.
A number of party insiders told The Corner that this was a big deal; Michael Fletcher (Bearing Drift) is not so sure. I’d lean Michael’s wa, largely because I’ve seen this before.
In December 2007, later in the cycle than we are now, Paul won the straw poll at the Virginia GOP Advance in Alexandria. There was a roughly similar bifuracted reaction: it was the mst important thing in politics; it was insignificant. There was, however, one factor both sides missed then – and they missed it again now.
As I noted back then (emphasis in original) . . .
. . . the poll was held in northern Virginia. While northern Virginia is hardly a Republican bastion these days, a number of the conservative movement groups have their national headquarters here, including organizations most likely to have Ron Paul supporters in their midst . . . To find 200 people in this political grouping who support Paul would be a lot easier than most people realize, but more to the point, for all of them – whatever their number – this was a local event. It is quite possible that a straw poll in Richmond, Hampton Roads, or Roanoke might have had a different result.
The fact is this: the folks most likely to Ron Paul backers are political activists working to battle overarching government up close – and in the suburbs of the nation’s capital, they’re plentiful. Certainly not enough to sway a local election, but easily enough to sway a straw poll in their back yard. It was true then; it is true now.
At the December 2007 straw poll, John McCain was in single digits.
Just sayin’
3 Responses to “Why Ron Paul won, again”
Really not surprising, but unfortunately it likely won’t translate into much.
YAF purged Ron Paul from their board yesterday.
Not surprising on the CPAC vote, and I agree with Trump (for the most part) – Ron Paul is unelectable for President.
I don’t mind Trump getting booed for this opinion either, as I think there needs to be an open honest debate on all sides on the direction of the republican party. It doesn’t need to get ugly though.
Don’t get me wrong – I agree with the many of the basic tenents of the Libertarian wing of our party – but this straw polls should not be considered a bellweather by any means.
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