OPINION| Republican presidential candidate, Ron Paul has long been considered a long shot to win the nomination for the Republican party. After eight primary and caucus battles for the nomination, the twelve term Texas congressman has yet to finish first in a state. The state of Maine held its caucuses yesterday with Paul coming in a close second place behind front runner, Mitt Romney. The state was considered a critical and important test for Paul, who has focused on the the states that hold caucuses instead of primaries.
Paul finished with 36% of the vote, while Romney finished slightly ahead with 39%. Many Ron Paul supporters view the narrow defeat as a virtual tie; including Paul himself, who is pledging to continue on despite the disappointing loss in Maine. Regardless of how you feel about Ron Paul and his views, his chances of winning the Republican nomination appear to have grown even smaller. A win in Maine could have helped his campaign build more momentum, and would have given the mainstream media more of a reason to give him more coverage. However, with his loss in a state that many predicted he had a great chance of winning, it’s unlikely that he will be taken seriously from this point on. To add to his troubles, the upcoming states in the next few weeks do not favor him.
Many believe that Ron Paul was never a real factor towards winning the nomination. However, his message has played a large part in energizing younger voters. Paul’s consistency along with his messages of freedom, liberty, and limited government have resonated with many of the younger base of voters in America. These are voters that will play a large part in how the election in November turns out. Many of them are sick and tired of the “status quo” when it comes to politics. They believe that having to choose between candidates like; Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Santorum wouldn’t make much of a difference. Ron Paul may not end up being a factor as a president, but his message may very well play a huge part in whether or not the Republicans take back the White House. The other three candidates better take heed, otherwise President Barack Obama may easily win re-election.
Sources:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/primary-tracker/
http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/11/politics/pol-maine-wrap/index.html?hpt=hp_bn3
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/11/ron-paul-maine-caucus-results-2012_n_1270850.html