Rand got less than half the votes than Ron got

[PCKY]

Paul's re-election campaign in 2020 should be easy.

Matt Beavin is a strange bird,

 

[dude58677]

Rand Paul was the front runner in 2013 and 2014. Early in the Summer he was within the margin of error of first place. He started to regain the lead and Donald Trump just stepped in and pushed him aside. Now with Donald Trumps embarrasing evening Rand can regain the momentum.

 

[PCKY]

Don't say it's over yet. A good showing in NH and a top 3 finish in NV will absolutely keep him in the game.

Rand is going to have to pivot big time. The Live Free or Die state has turned to the establishment. And Rand will have to spend all of his media tine explaining the 10000 students thing. And Cruz does have some wind in his sails. I think his only shot is winning independents and Dems who are actually liberal and not progressive or socialists...IDK.

 

[twomp]

I'm not the one who doesn't get it. You are comparing Ron's run which was in an entirely different political environment to Rand's. Let me point out a few things.

First, when Ron ran the political climate was far more anti-war than it is today. Sure, Trump says the Iraq war was a mistake but then he turns around and says we need to go over to the middle east, murder the families of "terrorists", steal the oil, and bomb the fuck out of them. Trump is not anti war and did not get any support for being anti war.

Going on the Alex Jones show would have accomplished absolutely zilch, aside from removing one criticism you have today of his campaign. Going on that show does not get you more voters in Iowa.

Trump pledged to support the nominee and not to run third party as well.

Yes, Rand's campaign did make some mistakes as do all campaigns. But to try to sit here and say Ron's actual campaign was run better than Rand's is absolutely ridiculous and your reasoning behind it is even worse. Your primary mistake is thinking that the same rules apply to Rand as they do Trump or Cruz. That has always been where you have gone wrong in your criticism of Rand's campaign this entire cycle.

Keep in mind Ron lost all his attempts at running for president and never even came close. Rand's first attempt is not going great as of now, yet you are advocating for Rand to run a campaign modeled after a failed candidate. When in reality, Paul's initial strategy would have been very successful in 9 out of 10 election cycles.

You are also making the huge mistake of assuming that either Cruz/Trump is going to win the nomination, thus making the incorrect assumption that even if Rand ran the exact campaign as these two he would ultimately win.

So you have 2 strategies. Plan A got more votes and was gaining more votes, more energy, more successful moneybombs despite more media smears and media blackouts.

Then you have Plan B which got less votes, less enthusiastic supporters, weaker money bombs, yet more media time. And you somehow feel like Plan B was better and want to continue with it. Genuis. In every aspect, Ron Paul's campaign did better and you still deny it. Hell, these very forums were born from his campaign. His son wouldn't be a senator without his campaign. And your only argument is that he didn't win the Presidency? Let's see if Rand wins.

 

[Crashland]

It's not over but it looks really bad. There would need to be a drastic change in the race or a completely monumental campaign reboot and I don't see any of those things happening especially with Rand likely to be excluded from future debate(s). The other candidates above Rand need to totally self-destruct, especially Ted Cruz.

 

[PaleoPaul]

"you are banned for a bit"

A bit? Why don't you kick this loser's arse out of RPF once and for all.

Matt's been in the trenches since 2007. He's pretty much a lifetime member of the Paul Club.

 

[invisible]

Rand is going to have to pivot big time. The Live Free or Die state has turned to the establishment. And Rand will have to spend all of his media tine explaining the 10000 students thing. And Cruz does have some wind in his sails. I think his only shot is winning independents and Dems who are actually liberal and not progressive or socialists...IDK.

You are correct that the 10,000 students and 35,000+ identified voters needs an explanation! But a top 3 finish in NH isn't necessary, though. All Rand has to do in NH (and he has a good shot at it) is place above the candidates who have either bet everything on NH or are stronger there than in IA: shrub, christy, kasich. If Rand was able to do that, christy and kasich will probably drop quickly after NH, and most likely purina as well. shrub and carson will probably hang on through SC, and then drop. If Rand can finish in NH above at least one of the top 3 in IA (maybe possible), and finish top 3 in NV (very possible), then it becomes a 4 man race going into super Tuesday, with Rand still very much so in the game.

 

[Kotin]

Matt came on here as he does most of the time these days to instigate. This had nothing to do with constructive criticism of the campaign or Rand Paul which I have no problem with whatsoever.

He was trolling in the clearest sense of the word. At a time when it really is just not okay to do.. Criticism is always okay and welcomed and needed frankly at this point but that is NOT what he was doing and he has not done for Quite a while. He was gloating, but why I cannot understand but will not let him do that to the people who have worked so tirelessly for this campaign

It is a temp ban and he deserved it.

I am so proud of the work we have put in and I of course am disappointed but I am used to that by now lol. Further I am so proud of Rand even if there is a lot to learn from this campaign already and to improve upon.

But Rand represents me and I love the guy for soldiering through this campaign even though it's been this way from the start almost. He truly is the greatest candidate we have had in a long time and I stand with him regardless of the outcome of this election

He is the best senator in god knows how long and I feel so much better that he is there and would absolutely love him in the Oval Office. I support whatever he does and he is continuing on and so will I

I stand with Rand

 

[Aratus]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to invisible again. (Ain't it the truth!)
Excellent breakdown of how to step into SuperTuesday in a big way! Staying power = Long Term Results

 

[Aratus]

"It is a temp ban and he deserved it" = Classic British Understatement

 

[ThePaleoLibertarian]

I made a thread several months ago, asking what, if anything, Rand's campaign was doing right, because at the time it was clear to me that it was faltering badly. I was called a concern troll, told by a mod that I was following the media line, that just as many people were carrying the torch for Rand as there were for Ron and that I should stop panicking. One particularly stupid poster managed to slip in an accusation of racism, because of course he did.

The single legitimate answer I got was that he had a great "ground game" in Iowa. I was glad to hear that, at least. And here we see the results...

I don't expect an apology, but the fact that anyone is surprised by this result shows that there is too much blind optimism and not enough realism in the movement. The liberty movement has (for the most part), the facts and the arguments. Now it needs the strategy.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Rand Paul was the front runner in 2013 and 2014. Early in the Summer he was within the margin of error of first place. He started to regain the lead and Donald Trump just stepped in and pushed him aside. Now with Donald Trumps embarrasing evening Rand can regain the momentum.

"momentum"...thats like saying that if the game makers just move the free throw shooting line, and the 3 point line up to the hoop 10 feet that Rand Will make a winning victory in a game that is already decided. Its over...people..understand your freedoms are bought, and they are privileges now. Stop peddling a bicycle in water.

 

[Mani]

"momentum"...thats like saying that if the game makers just move the free throw shooting line, and the 3 point line up to the hoop 10 feet that Rand Will make a winning victory in a game that is already decided. Its over...people..understand your freedoms are bought, and they are privileges now. Stop peddling a bicycle in water.

 

[francisco]

I keep saying this over and over again. The problem wasn't Ron, Rand or the message, the problem is the country and the people who occupy it. People are not deceived to this extent unless they want to be deceived. I didn't want to believe this about the people I live among, but America, nay Western Civilization as a whole is in the throws of pathological stupidity, most of it brought about by idolatrous tendencies that have been in the works for well over a century now.

I sometimes think that God is testing the American people, and we are being found wanting.

 

[hells_unicorn]

I sometimes think that God is testing the American people, and we are being found wanting.

God tests every nation, whether they are covenanted to him or not. The rub is that, according to my present position, America opted out of a direct covenant with God from the get go, and we've been backsliding further ever since. I won't say that we were wrong to secede from Britain, as both the Irish and Scots-Irish side of me would beg to differ, but there were some tragic concessions made after the Articles of Confederation were abandoned that eventually destroyed America's church infrastructure.

A while back there was a Roman Catholic apologist on Bill Maher's show that actually said something I agree with, that America largely has its own ideas about who God is, thus we are a nation beholden to heresy rather than truth, one where renegade and often covetous pastors determine what truth is.

The whole fixation that most Evangelicals have with atheistic Israel should clue most in that American Christianity is a very innovative and different creature from what the term denoted for the previous 18 centuries.

 

[invisible]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to invisible again. (Ain't it the truth!)
Excellent breakdown of how to step into SuperTuesday in a big way! Staying power = Long Term Results

Awww, you're such a sweetie. Nice to see you back on here again! You haven't written a haiku for a long time.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

God tests every nation, whether they are covenanted to him or not. The rub is that, according to my present position, America opted out of a direct covenant with God from the get go, and we've been backsliding further ever since. I won't say that we were wrong to secede from Britain, as both the Irish and Scots-Irish side of me would beg to differ, but there were some tragic concessions made after the Articles of Confederation were abandoned that eventually destroyed America's church infrastructure.

A while back there was a Roman Catholic apologist on Bill Maher's show that actually said something I agree with, that America largely has its own ideas about who God is, thus we are a nation beholden to heresy rather than truth, one where renegade and often covetous pastors determine what truth is.

The whole fixation that most Evangelicals have with atheistic Israel should clue most in that American Christianity is a very innovative and different creature from what the term denoted for the previous 18 centuries.

Indeed. Sorry but my +rep machine is broken right now or I'd give you one. :/

 

[parocks]

I think Cruz might have done better among young voters than Rand!!!

The Rand of 2010 would have done much better!!

Rubio seemed to do well in the areas that Paul did well - the college towns.

Ron Paul was a hot thing among some young voters. He definitely was a thing. This year, Rand Paul is not the thing, Bernie Sanders is among young folks who don't really have long-standing fixed political beliefs. Last time around, Obama ran uncontested, Ron Paul was free to pick up votes from young folks.

Rand has a lot of competition for votes. Ron didn't have that tough of competition. Bachmann? The quality of the outsiders / conservatives this year was higher.

 

[Anti Federalist]

LOL yet another thread from Collins moaning about the poor performance of Rand.

Poor performance caused by adopting the style and political management of his campaign that people like you wanted.

He could hardly have done worse, had he been surrounded by chanting, snowball throwing, sign wavers and hell raisers.

 

[unknown]

I dont feel that Rand really did anything "wrong".

I think a lot of whats happening is the Trump "effect".

Rand had been blacked out quite a bit in the beginning although he has been getting more exposure lately.

When I talk to people who are open minded about the candidates, they say things like "Rand seemed like one of the more reasonable candidates".

Maybe we could be doing some things better but I dont think the campaign is necessarily doing anything "wrong" or "bad".