Paul hopes cash gets him to Super Tuesday
Paul hopes cash gets him to Super Tuesday
The Texan says his campaign is in 'pretty good shape' despite the loss
By BENNETT ROTH
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
CONCORD, N.H. — Despite trailing most of the major GOP candidates in the New Hampshire primary Tuesday, Ron Paul is banking that a hefty campaign cash cushion will give him the boost to compete at least through Super Tuesday on Feb. 5.
In this state with a strong libertarian tradition, the congressman from Lake Jackson, who polled about 8 percent of the vote with 48 percent of the returns counted, appealed to independents and disaffected Republicans drawn by his less-government and anti-war messages.
His campaign aides believe the same pitches will bring out new voters when the Houston-area congressman moves on to the next primaries in Michigan, South Carolina and Florida. But Paul's overriding goal is to make it through Super Tuesday, when voters in 21 states, including California and New York, hold their elections.
Paul suggested Tuesday he has the ability to keep going because his supporters raised nearly $20 million in the last quarter, an amount expected to exceed anything raised by the top GOP candidates.
"We are in pretty good shape to go through Feb. 5," said Paul, who added that he will re-evaluate his position after the Super Tuesday primaries.
Paul's campaign chairman, Kent Snyder, said the candidate has already spent $1.5 million in television and radio commercials in South Carolina, which holds its GOP primary Jan. 19.
Paul also has hired a state coordinator for Florida, which holds its election 10 days later, on Jan. 29. The campaign has also announced that it will begin buying radio spots in eight states including California, Georgia and Florida.
But Paul will face obstacles in some of the upcoming states, particularly California, which, unlike New Hampshire, does not allow independents to vote in the Republican primary and which requires costly advertising to reach voters.
Jack Pitney, an analyst at Claremont McKenna College in California, said Paul "can make a big splash in New Hampshire because it is a small state where money can go a long way."
But in California, he said, Paul will have a hard time attracting establishment Republicans who polls show are not enamored with him because of his opposition to the Iraq war.
"His supporters are not the kind you would meet at the Lincoln Day dinner," he said, referring to the events hosted by state Republican parties for activists.
Paul also could face difficulties if he decides to keep going after Feb. 5 and participate in Texas' March 4 primary. Despite having the home-state advantage, he came in third in a straw poll held by the Texas Republican Party last year, trailing Duncan Hunter and Fred Thompson.
Paul also has not received any endorsements from his fellow members of Congress from the Lone Star State.
bennett.roth@chron.com
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