Ron Paul Quits Republican Presidential Campaign With McCain Winning
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 7, 2008
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — With John McCain essentially wrapping up the number of delegates needed to become the Republican nominee, the last remaining candidate in the race has unofficially called it a day. Ron Paul released a video message to his supporters on Thursday night declaring for a second time that he’s no longer in contention.
Paul issued a first video message in mid-February after Mitt Romney left the race and acknowledged that the chances of him winning more delegates and brokering a convention were less likely.
In the new video, Paul has not officially quit the race but told supporters that he is essentially ending the campaign. He urged them to carry his message further and admitted that he can’t win a victory in the conventional sense of becoming the GOP nominee.
He urged his supporters to begin planning other events to promote his libertarian message.
"I don’t mind playing a key role in this revolution, but it has to be more than a Ron Paul revolution," he said. "Our job now is to plan for the next phase."
Ron Paul spokesman Jesse Benton talked with the Washington Post about the message and said Paul recognizes he won’t be the nominee.
"Winding down" is what he said about the Paul campaign.
"Dr. Paul acknowledges that he will not be the nominee, but will continue to travel to address supporters and encourage grassroots activism to influence the process and return the Republican party to its traditions of limited government and personal freedom," Benton added.
Benton said Paul plans to write a book about his views and will begin an extensive national book selling tour.
"A more detailed outline of this message has now been put into book form, titled, ‘The Revolution: A Manifesto’ and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com," he said.
Paul also plans to raise funds for his political action committee and a non-profit educational group.
Paul has captured just 42 delegates during his campaign and there is no word on whether he will release them to support McCain or ask them to vote for him during the GOP convention this summer.
Some Paul supporters have been hoping he would wage a third-party bid and possibly accept the nomination of the Libertarian Party or by running an independent campaign. Paul has repeatedly said he would not do that.
"I am a Republican," he said, "and I remain a Republican."
However, that doesn’t mean the pro-life physician plans to support McCain, who opposes abortion himself.
Paul told the Baltimore Sun newspaper last month that disagreements about the situation in Iraq prevent him from backing McCain. Whether he will ultimately endorse McCain remains to be seen and his non-endorsement could prevent him from having a speaking role at the convention.
