U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas announced Friday that he is making a second stab at winning the Republican presidential nomination. The Texas congressman made the announcement on ABCs "Good Morning America" and then spoke to a cheering crowd in Exeter, N.H.
Im so glad to see you involved in our revolution, said Paul. The revolution is spreading and our momentum is building. Our time has come.
Paul praised New Hampshire, home of the first presidential primary.
There is high respect for the spirit of liberty here, said Paul -- who, despite the libertarian strain in the Granite State, took fifth place in the 2008 primary, garnering less than 8 percent.
While Paul, who is now 75, did not win a single primary or caucus in 2008, he came in second in 10 of them and placed third in 17 of them. Pauls calls for increased domestic liberty and his critiques of American foreign policy won him the passionate support of activists who helped raise more than $28 million for his 2008 bid. That support appears to remain in place. The Paul team raised more than $1 million through the Internet earlier in the month.
Paul, who was first elected to Congress in 1976 and was the Libertarian Party presidential nominee in 1988, insisted that recent events -- and the growth of the tea party movement -- would make things different in his third bid for the White House.
Threes a charm, laughed Paul in his speech, who said that things had changed dramatically since the 2008 elections. The people have awoken and sent a message.
Paul called for freedom of choice in education, nutritional supplements and in allowing currently illegal drugs.
My position is, you have a right of freedom of choice with your bodies, insisted Paul.
Paul continued calling for limited government on Friday, saying the Constitution limited the powers of the federal government. He argued that government agencies were standing in the way of the free market.
Government isnt the solution, said Paul. Government has really created the problem.
The Texas congressman called for less government and for ending foreign aid. Our economic policies are destroying our wealth, insisted Paul.
The congressman also called for more free trade and less American military involvement overseas.
I am so radical that I want to get back to the Constitution, said Paul, who called for a pro-American foreign policy and to not be the policeman of the world.
Paul also took aim at the currency policies of the federal government, arguing that it will continue to raise the national debt and lower the value of currency, and called for the abolition of the Federal Reserve.
As Paul kicks off his third campaign, he is in a better spot in the polls than he was at this time during the 2007 cycle. While Paul trails the front-runners in the race -- including former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusestts, former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, former Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, he is ahead of the rest of the pack in most polls. Other candidates already in the race or contemplating running for the Republican nomination include businessman and reality TV star Donald Trump, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, former Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, former Gov. George Pataki of New York, former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer, former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore of Alabama, businessman Herman Cain and activist Fred Karger.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
