Paul Spending Campaign Cash on House Race?

[Knightskye]

Is that where the money went? $2 million for New Hampshire, some for Iowa, $10 million for his congressional bid? And now he wants $23 million more. Pick a position, please. Congressman or President.

 

[Smiley Gladhands]

FWIW, I caught the end of one of those radio ads yesterday. I can't tell you if it was any good since I just heard the last 4 seconds or so, but it was indeed a Ron Paul radio ad played on a Houston talk radio station (the one where Pat Gray constantly acts like a jackass) asking voters to reelect him to his congressional district.

 

[mtmedlin]

Remember that if he opens a Presidential office in Texas and uses it also for his Congressional campaign then technically he is using his Presidential money for the Congressional campaign. I wouldnt doubt that there are many of these types of things.

Equipment, signs, paid staff, etc.

 

[KingTheoden]

First, there is no reasonable chance to win as a Libertarian when the LP is distancing themselves from Ron Paul and his associates. He has damaged the party's reputation by collecting a group of extremists over the past two decades, insufficiently clarifying the scandal of the newsletter, and running this farce of a campaign under the Republican banner. It implies that he only meant to make a "political statement" and then swindled his donors. He betrayed the trust of people who fought to get him elected and believed in his integrity.

You know that if he'd campaigned more intelligently in the early primary states, he would have media cred now. Only, he has consistently placed fifth with a disaster in one state to the next... and he has $19 million in the bank.

I think that is too harsh an indictment of Ron Paul. I really do think he is making an honest attempt at running for president. The weak link is not him, rather it is the upper echelon of the campaign.

Advisers are critical in terms of influence and direction. It is my view that HQ is insulating Dr. Paul from the reality of the situation, that many of us feel quite upset at what has become of the campaign.

So I do not think it is a matter of Dr. Paul 'swindling' any of us. It is merely that the staff cannot (or will not) run an effective campaign.

New Hampshire was critical and HQ blew it twice: once during the run up to primary day with little effort in trying to win and again when they refused a recount option.

Dr. Paul is pure gold. We never will have a shot like this with him and that is why it is so critical that we wrest control of the campaign, eject those who are incompetent, and get the ball rolling again.

 

[Badger Paul]

Ron Paul's Congressional primary is on March 4.

After Super Tuesday the campaign needs to take stock of the situation and decide its plans. If RP has no chance at the nomination, then he should suspend his national camapaign and head back to Texas and make sure he can get re-elected to his House seat. There's no Dem candidate running so winning this election would guarantee he would make it back to the House.

Then after that we cand decide whether a non-major party bid is feasible. I'm against it unless its Hilary vs. McCain.

 

[jacmicwag]

If it's Hilary vs. McCain vs. Bloomberg, we'd have a shot since there would be 3 candidates chasing the liberal vote.

 

[MN Patriot]

Ron Paul can raise more in half a day than the LP raises in a year. Ballot Access is expensive but someone with a lot of supporters can get sigs for cheap or free. Even the LP has had declining ballot access over the last 3 elections. They used to be able to brag about being on the ballot in 50 states, now they would be excited to get 45 or 46.

the Libertarian label is worthless and probably a liability. well funded Libertarian candidates ( this applies for Constitution Party and Greens to an extent as well. Not just picking on my LP) regularly finish behind Independent paper candidates.

The ballot access is valuable, but it's about the only value.

If Ron jumps to the LP, and thousands of his supporters do, too, then ballot access shouldn't be a problem for all 50 states.

I don't think the Libertarian label is a liability, most people still have no idea what it means. The MSM blackout has worked well to keep people ignorant. But if Ron runs, and has LP congressional candidates in every district running with him, then it will be very tough to ignore. Especially if all the campaigns get smart and do the same things that the successful precincts did in Iowa and New Hampshire.

This whole thing needs some sort of strategic plan. People can't expect the grassroots to willy-nilly do this and that and with some miracle Ron and some LP congressional candidates get elected. This is my biggest complaint about libertarians, there seems to be no strategic or tactical planning. Every candidate runs a low budget campaign, gets 2% every time, and nobody bothers to learn or plan how to run a better campaign next time around.

Getting 180,000 precinct leaders nationally is a good start, for Ron and for all the congressional candidates.

 

[acstichter]

The comment that Paul would spend some money from his Presidential campaign on his Congressional campaign was attributed to his spokesman Mark Elam. I looked up Mark Elam and he seems to work for the Congressional campaign. He also owns a company called M&M Graphics and Advertising, a company specializing in printing, advertising, graphic design and direct mail. You'll remember that these are the methods Ron Paul uses to win his Congressional campaigns. On the FEC filings, this company is paid tens (maybe hundreds) of thousands of dollars.

I hope all Ron Paul's advisors don't have financial motivations like Elam does and I hope Elam ignores his personal interests when discussing strategy.