National Review: Rand Paul’s Iowa Coup

[jct74]

National Review: Rand Paul’s Iowa Coup

Rand Paul’s Iowa Coup
His allies control the state GOP, and they’re looking ahead.

By Robert Costa
MAY 29, 2013 4:00 AM

It started as an Odyssey.

Two years ago, A. J. Spiker was an unknown, 31-year-old realtor from Ames, Iowa, who read Frédéric Bastiat and dabbled in state politics. He signed on, as many of his friends did, to work for Ron Paul’s presidential campaign. Because of his experience on the state Republican committee and his work as chairman of the Story County GOP, he was asked to serve as vice chairman of Paul’s Iowa effort. At first, Spiker thought it would be only a title, and that he’d rarely, if ever, interact with his political hero. “Usually, presidential candidates stay out of what’s happening on the ground,” he explains in a phone interview. Then he got a call: Paul was coming to Iowa, and he wanted to hit the road.

The Paul campaign tapped Spiker to be the driver. He went to his driveway, opened the door of his white Honda Odyssey minivan, and began to clean out his three kids’ toys. A few weeks later, he, Paul, and a couple of senior aides were on Interstate 35, cruising through the cornfields and talking about economics. The Paul crew stopped at diners, slept in motels, and organized rallies and fundraisers from their smartphones. Paul would do radio interviews from the van, and when they weren’t discussing philosophy as a group, Spiker would prep the congressman about the next town and give him the all-important names of the local officials.

Spiker suddenly found himself in the inner circle — the man behind the wheel of Paul’s Iowa campaign. Months later, on a bitter cold January night, the Texas Republican eventually finished a disappointing third in the caucuses. But Spiker came out a winner. He made a name for himself as an astute organizer and impressed Iowans in his role as an unofficial liaison to the Paul skeptics within the Republican party. As a devout Roman Catholic, he connected on a personal level with backers of Rick Santorum and other conservatives and argued that Paul was with them on most of the issues. Paul’s advisers credit Spiker for helping Paul rise in Iowa from outsider status in 2008 to near the top of the pack in 2012.

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read more:
http://www.nationalreview.com/node/349515

 

[Warlord]

Please find someone decent for senate Chairman Spiker.

 

[Mr.NoSmile]

Phrasing...must it be talked about as a coup? Takeover? Taking control? How about just changing of the guard or, I don't know, that he won it. We're used to this by now, but really, if we want to send a message, we have the ability to let writers know that their word choice could make it seem as if we're outsiders rather than part of a Party that continues to ostracize us.

 

[radiofriendly]

Rand also has a good link top of drudge - maybe this one will be added?

 

[FSP-Rebel]

comments need some help

 

[ObiRandKenobi]

Good job Robert Costa.

 

[TaftFan]

Good job Robert Costa.

He's a good reporter.

 

[J_White]

Phrasing...must it be talked about as a coup? Takeover? Taking control? How about just changing of the guard or, I don't know, that he won it. We're used to this by now, but really, if we want to send a message, we have the ability to let writers know that their word choice could make it seem as if we're outsiders rather than part of a Party that continues to ostracize us.

same old same old - trying to make negative associations for a liberty candidate.

 

[american.swan]

Isn't it interesting how crooked bastards encourage public's participation in politics, but as soon as some decent people take charge, the straw poll should be phased out and don't donate to them memos are passed around. Ummmm

 

[VoluntaryAmerican]

How is this article a good thing?