Mon 12 Nov 2007
We first covered the Ron Paul story back on August 31. It was about happenings in Phoenix so I did not pay much attention. Tedski covered the Tucson angle on November 1. We had a more controversial story on November 6 but I still did not personally see the newsworthiness. Then I went to the Pima County Cigar Night and met several local Ron Paul supporters. I was happy to find out that they are essentially main-stream, less-government Republicans. Certainly some of them hold some unique views but no more strange than some of the open-borders, legal-abortion, tax-raising elected Republicans already in office.
I had seen a few Ron Paul supporters holding up signs by the University of Arizona so I knew they were out there. Then I came across the Ron Paul Tucson Meetup page. (There is even a Ron Paul Tucson You Tube page.) The next closest page I could find was the Mitt Romney Tucson Meetup page with 5 members and 1 event compared to Paul with 227 members and 72 events. Clearly Arizona is one of the prime locations for the Ron Paul r3VOLution. Further research revealed that Ron Paul is doing equally well in other Arizona locations. Here is just a quick sample:
Ron Paul Phoenix Meetup page – 485 members
Ron Paul East Valley Meetup page – 185 members
Ron Paul Scottsdale Meetup page – 110 members
Ron Paul ASU Meetup page – 58 members
Ron Paul Chandler Meetup page – 42 members
(We apologize if we left out any locations. A great way to find a group in your area is to search Google for Candidate Name City, example Ron Paul Tucson.)
Say what you want about his candidacy (and I know you have lots to say) this is an excellent spontaneous network that other campaigns would love to have. The question becomes what does the party do with this infusion of activists. A smart approach would be to welcome all who support less government into the party. We have been lectured about the big tent for years when it came to liberal Republicans. How about applying that rule to all, including those who want to dramatically reduce the size of government?
Before I get flamed or the comments start rolling in please realize that this blog is not officially endorsing Ron Paul for President. We are just noting a political phenomenon in the state that handled correctly may be the biggest gift to the Republican Party in years.
Newt Gingrich has said that the electorate wants a change candidate. With all the other major candidates from both parties the question about the size of government comes down to how quickly government will grow. The best we could hope for under Giuliani or Romney is that government not grow too quickly and certainly less than under Clinton or Obama. Ron Paul is the only candidate actually talking about reducing the size of government. At one time that notion was actually fashionable within the Republican Party.
See you on the streets!
NB – The Boston Globe now reports Ron Paul at #4 in New Hampshire, ahead of Huchabee and Thompson. I wonder if he will start getting as much press as Huckabee and Thompson.
November 11th, 2007 at 11:59 pm
Bring ‘em in to the party! If they stay of course. If their attraction is limited-government and issue based, then they’ll make us stronger. If this is a cult of personality thing and they’ll fade away after Paul doesn’t get the nomination, then we’d have been all excited over nothing much.
November 12th, 2007 at 12:11 am
It is an amazing opportunity to mingle with a lot of younger voters and disaffected independents. We should listen to what they have to say and welcome them into the fold. Certainly a few may fade away. That will happen with supporters from every campaign but when was the last time you had throngs of new people attending your LD meeting? Make the most of it!
November 12th, 2007 at 11:25 am
I know 2 Ron Paul supportors. In 2000 they supported Ralph Nader. In 2004 they supported Dennis Kucinich. Republican they are not.
I think some people are just attracted to the odd ones that have no chance of winning. They somehow think they are more “authentic”.
November 12th, 2007 at 11:39 am
Exurbs,
Two out, hundreds and hundreds left to work with.
November 12th, 2007 at 11:58 am
Exurbs:
I’d also like to remind you that the “two” are probably searching and it’s up to you and I to contribute to the maturation process.
Keep in mind that some of America’s most gifted intellectual/political conservatives were once men and women of the Left!
(See “the Gipper”!)
November 12th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Concerning the comparison between President Reagan and Congressman Ron Paul, I would point out that the Republican establishment was extremely contemptuous of Reagan for years, even through his successful presidential campaign in 1980.
November 12th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Oro Valley Dad and Tom,
I’m all for growing the party and there probably are some small government conservatives in his mix of supporters. By all means, let’s try to win them over.
It’s just that too often that Libertarian streak seems to venture into the loonier regions of political discourse. I know that “politics can make for strange bedfellows”, but you have to admit there are some pretty distasteful folks in his camp.
Interesting topic of discussion though.
November 12th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
Exurbs,
There is no probably about it. There ARE lots of small government conservatives among the Ron Paul supporters. To be honest I think each candidate has a few “distasteful folks” in their camp.
BTW is there really such a thing as a genuine big government conservative?