Where Does Ron Paul Go From Here?

[Ron] Paul’s support draws heavily from two constituencies one doesn’t normally associate with the Republican party: young voters, who are overwhelmingly independents, and antiwar voters, who tend to be Democrats. He has carried the youth vote and garnered a significant proportion of independents in virtually every contest: more significantly, polls show him beating President Obama in the general election by winning a huge portion of the independent and youth votes. Combined with the anybody-but-Obama vote, Paul’s potential base of support in a two-way race defines the contours of a winning electoral coalition, one that could win him the White House, bring about a major political realignment – and upend the political Establishment in this country.

The problem, for Paul, is that the GOP leadership is implacably opposed to his candidacy.

  Justin Raimondo

I have read (somewhere in the past) that Ron Paul says he will not run for president except on the Republican ticket. Maybe I misread that, or maybe there was some technicality in it, or maybe he will drop out when the GOP nominate Romney. But you have to wonder. If the polls showing him beating Obama are correct, why wouldn't he run on an independent ticket? I think that would be something of a coup for him. Had he started out running as an independent, he would not have gotten the publicity he's had in the GOP debates. But once he's out of the running on that party ticket, why not take advantage of the situation? We shall soon see.