What does Ron have that Peroutka and Badnarik lacked?

[Starks]

Is it because Ron did the smart thing and ran as a Republican?

 

[steph3n]

probably so.

 

[anewvoice]

endorsements from Badnarik and Peroutka? Really though, each race is a step forward and builds on previous steps.

 

[tekkierich]

Ron Paul has a voting record and 10 winning congressional campaigns behind him.

He is simply more qualified.

 

[starless]

An "R" next to his name.

 

[steph3n]

grassroots!

 

[noxagol]

The fact that he is a republican, plain and simple.

 

[anewvoice]

5 million dollars!

 

[risiusj]

teh internets!

 

[klamath]

The disintergration of trust in the GOP by the rank in file.

 

[stevedasbach]

He ran as a Republican and is a sitting, 10-term Republican Congressman -- thus he was included in the debates.

His performances in the debates were YouTubed and fueled the grassroots explosion.

He has a hot issue where the rest of the field is on one side and he & the American people are on the other.

He has the experience and judgement Americans look for when selecting a President.

He knows how to win elections and had a pre-existing national base to draw support from.

 

[Original_Intent]

It's not "just" that he is a republican although that helps.

He also has a 20 year consistent voting record.

He has been sending out "Freedom Report" newsletters to people all over the country for years. I think this helped seed his grassroots support.

I think there are a number of factors, and I also think the time is right with what has happened in our government in the last 20 years and esp in the last 4 years.

 

[LibertyEagle]

Is it because Ron did the smart thing and ran as a Republican?

Ron IS a Republican. He has been one for more than twenty years. He has the very same principles as traditional conservatives have.

Which is one of the reasons he is doing much better than the other people you mentioned.

 

[jj111]

Ron Paul has everything going for him except the mainstream media and Republican leadership.

1. Unmatched political experience. Perhaps the best Congressman in US history, and 10 terms to boot.
2. Great personal characteristics: polished delivery, tremendous intelligence, no scandals, happily married, doctor delivered 4000 babies, expert on the Constitution.
3. In the real political world: a Republican 10 term congressman running for Republican nomination.
4. In the televised debates.
5. Perfect timing: people are sick of Bush, sick of the war, sick of the post 9/11 police state, people are waking up and fed up.
6. Perfect timing in terms of competition: no other GOP is a true conservative, Hillary has high disapproval ratings and voted for Iraq War and Patriot Act, Obama is inexperienced and flawed in many ways. All the opposition have major flaws.
7. Internet is more developed. YouTube, etc. has made this campaign grow through the Internet.

All these and more. The perfect storm. The planets are all alligned. Now it is up to us the supporters to make this happen in the next 90 days and we have a lot of work cut out for us.

 

[RP08]

Broadband Internet widely available.

And, running in a major party (Republican).

 

[constituent]

street cred.

badnarik is a billionaire right?

 

[manuel]

As much as I hate to admit it, it's probably the Republican thing.

 

[Man from La Mancha]

I sincerely hope he can succeed in the republican party but there are 2 parties out there willing to run him in every state and with more than a $100 million he could still kick ass.

.

 

[JMann]

Ron Paul is a ten time US Congressman. Badnarik had tax issues and if memory serves and has never held public office. Idea people like Harry Browne are all well and good but have no experience holding elective office and therefor would never get my vote for President of the United States.

 

[kylejack]

Is it because Ron did the smart thing and ran as a Republican?

The same reason Ron took only 500,000 votes in 1988...people aren't ready for a third party. An (R) or a (D) is very powerful.