Thread: Ron Paul scores upset in Bergen County straw poll

Dark horse Ron Paul scores upset in Bergen County straw poll
by John Holl/The Star-Ledger
Saturday February 02, 2008, 2:08 PM

Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Republican presidential hopeful Rep. Ron Paul during a debate in Florida on January 14. Ron Paul, the conservative Texas congressman and long-shot presidential hopeful, pulled off a small and symbolic upset in Bergen County today by winning a straw poll leading up to Super Tuesday.

The vote, sponsored by the Bergen County Republican Organization, drew more than 100 people to Hackensack, and included a boisterous contingent of Paul supporters, many from outside Bergen County. They listened to four representatives for the four remaining GOP contenders before casting votes, giving Paul a 52-40 victory over Arizona Sen. John McCain.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney placed third with 27 votes, while former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee got just one vote.

Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) spoke on behalf of McCain (R-Ariz.) and like others, invoked the memory of Ronald Reagan and wore a tie given to him by the former president embroidered with the words "democracy is not a spectator sport."

He used that as a transition, saying McCain "is a man resolved to do first and foremost what is best for this country no matter the cost to him politically."

State Sen. Joe Kyrillos (R-Monmouth) stumped for Romney and, echoing a feeling from many of the old Republican guard in the room, said it was time to focus on the two "serious" GOP candidates, McCain and Romney.

However it was the Paul supporters who yelled the loudest, waived the most signs and eventually cast the most ballots.


COMMENTS (2)Post a comment
Posted by Dagny on 02/02/08 at 3:00PM
There were 11 candidates in the running for the Republican nomination for President.

There are now 4. "Dark horse?"

We should all start learning exactly what this quite viable candidate is saying that has been garnering him so much support nationwide.

Go to www.ronpaul2008.com/issues Be amazed!

Inappropriate? Alert us. Post a commentPosted by ChelseaGuy on 02/02/08 at 3:37PM
I am heartened that Ron Paul’s thoughts have resonated in Bergen County.

Serial slanderers like Limbaugh and lap dog Hannity have succeeded in portraying Dr. Paul as an extremist kook. The media has given him short shrift and, truth be told, Paul has not endeared himself to debate viewers by his humorless presentations and a demeanor that seems totally devoid of warmth.

In his defense, given the limited time allowed him, he makes a great deal of sense. For a fuller treatment of his views, try reading Ethical Realism by Lieven and Hulsman and The Peace of Illusions by Layne. These are works by reputable scholars, not members of the lunatic fringe.

Both works posit that the US has enjoyed such preponderant power that it has also been tempted to impose abroad what Layne calls "Open Door hegemony" -- demanding that countries open their economies, conform to U.S. ideas and institutions, and unquestioningly accept U.S. leadership. Although this situation might seem advantageous, it is actually dangerous. Washington's ideologically motivated assertions of hegemony repeatedly provoke fear and resistance abroad, embroiling the United States in costly and counterproductive contests with other countries.

Lieven and Hulsman argue for prudence, patience, humility, and a deep understanding of (and cooperation with) other nations.

If war is too dangerous to be left to the generals, the world is too dangerous to be left to the United States. This is not quite what Ron Paul says, but it comes close to his prescription for disaster avoidance


http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/0 ... s_ups.html

Ron Paul has won dozens of straw polls, but when it comes to actual voting, he has failed in just about every election.

Wonder why, lol... Our elections are rigged and it is time for people to understand that. Electronic means of voting with no paper trail was created to do one thing only, and that is to tamper with the results. The government and its' co-conspirators decided who our next President will be months ago. They decided it would be Hillary Clinton and our little run to vote in the primaries is just a dog and pony show to make us think we are part of the process. Look at Florida where democrats were allowed to change their voter registration to republican on the spot... to vote for McCain.

Why else do we entrust the actual electronic tabulations to an Israeli company, rather than the votes tabulated in the US?

It is a very sad state this country is in. All we are good for is footing the bill for the wealthy members of our Congress, along with their close friends in Mexico.

Dianne

I absolutely agree with you. And I'm sure many others do too.

He can't win an election because in an election people can only vote once.

He can't win an election because in an election people can only vote once.

Not with these touch screen voting machines.

They are rigged.

That's why Broward County got a 110% turn out.