What if Paul switches to run as an Independent?

[TheConstitutionLives]

I predict this is what's going to happen. I don't see him getting the nomination at all. Do we have to then go register as an Indpendent to vote for him or what?

[BW4Paul]

I predict this is what's going to happen. I don't see him getting the nomination at all. Do we have to then go register as an Indpendent to vote for him or what?
If RP runs as an Independent in the national election, you may be registered with any party you like and still vote for him. Party registrations are only necessary in the primaries, and only in some states.

[ronpaulitician]

I predict this is what's going to happen. I don't see him getting the nomination at all. Do we have to then go register as an Indpendent to vote for him or what?
If he runs as an independent, he'll lose. He's already said he won't run as an independent, so were he to do so, he'll prove himself to be a flip-flopper.

In order to not conflict with his own statement, he'd have to run in a different party. I'm sure most of the third parties will have selected their own candidates by the time Paul would determine he'd rather change parties. That would leave only creating his own party. Not gonna happen.

It's GOP or nothing.

[Phil M]

If he runs as an independent, he'll lose. He's already said he won't run as an independent, so were he to do so, he'll prove himself to be a flip-flopper.

In order to not conflict with his own statement, he'd have to run in a different party. I'm sure most of the third parties will have selected their own candidates by the time Paul would determine he'd rather change parties. That would leave only creating his own party. Not gonna happen.

It's GOP or nothing.

He has never fully ruled out running as an independent. He's just said that he has no plans to do so. Also, the LP won't choose its nominee until May, so he should have plenty of time to campaign for that if he leaves the GOP race in February.

[TheConstitutionLives]

I don't think that would make him a flip flopper. Not if he has a good reason to do it. He's not getting any older. This is probably RP's last shot. The GOP is not gonna nominate him b/c that would be going against 99% of the party. They'd be admitting they were wrong all along on the war issue if they nominated an anti-war candidate. Granted, I don't think the GOP has a shot w/out him being the nominee b/c people are gonna vote for the peace candidate but they're way too arrogant to nominate Paul.

[JaylieWoW]

My apologies because I'm about to present a case of "oh the irony"...

I'm pretty sure he specifically said he would not run if he didn't get the Republican nomination.

The irony is the amount of email and phone calls he would be flooded with in order to convince him to run as an independent! :D

[Kuldebar]

Consider the challenges running while still a member of a mainstream political party and multiply the difficulty a 100 times if you attempt to do it as a third party. Ballot access alone and state by state campaign laws are posed to shut out all but the most heavily funded challengers (i.e. Perot).

Even the Libertarian Party, one of the oldest and most recognized third parties in our nations has to fight this battle every election. The system is rigged to maintain a two party lock out.

[ronpaulitician]

He has never fully ruled out running as an independent. He's just said that he has no plans to do so. Also, the LP won't choose its nominee until May, so he should have plenty of time to campaign for that if he leaves the GOP race in February.
He was asked, "Will you run as an independent."
He answered, "No."

I'm not sure how much clearer he can be on the issue.

[specsaregood]

//

[Silverback]

He was asked, "Will you run as an independent."
He answered, "No."

I'm not sure how much clearer he can be on the issue.

The only answer I ever heard was "No, I don't have any plans to do that"

When and where did he flatly refuse?

It'd be a natural thing for Paul to run on the LP ticket. (The CP doesn't have the organization to seriously run a presidential candidate, and they're philosophically conflicted on a lot of issues. I understand why many Paul supporters would like the CP better than the LP, which has its own problems, but put that idea out of your head, it isn't happening. The best thing would be for both parties to endorse him and make the point that he's not the stereotypical L or C.)

I think the best chance he has to win is the GOP ticket and that should be our focus until the primaries, but it's difficult to imagine the Ron Paul voters casting a vote for Giuliani or Clinton or even Thompson so there's going to be a third party movement this cycle if he loses the nomination and the LP will do everything in their power to draft him as he'll have a base of support and name recognition no other L can hope for. Even if he refuses somebody will throw their hat in running on his message.

This isn't like any other election in our lifetimes, there is no incumbent and the people are overwhelmingly dissatisfied with both parties, so a third party run is going to pick up a lot of votes.

This is precisely why the mainstream/authoritarian GOP is so ANGRY with Paul and with libertarians/paleos/constitutionalists generally.

They may not think we can win the primary or the general as a third party, but they know they can't win without us.

Pauls great strength, (other than being correct on the issues) in this primary is that deep down many Republicans understand that, even if they don't like it.

[Phil M]

He was asked, "Will you run as an independent."
He answered, "No."

I'm not sure how much clearer he can be on the issue.

As far as I'm aware, he has addressed this question twice. Once on Hannity and Colmes, where he said, "No. No. I'm not planning to do that. I don't intend to do that" (http://youtube.com/watch?v=xEZO7MPxJIs). I believe he said something similar on C-SPAN when he officially announced.

[romelll]

He also probably knows that if he runs independent the vote is split and the Democrats win. I don't think he wants to be remembered as the next Perot, rather a catalous for a small government way of thinking with the young crowd

[enter`name`here]

He also probably knows that if he runs independent the vote is split and the Democrats win. I don't think he wants to be remembered as the next Perot, rather a catalous for a small government way of thinking with the young crowd
But which way would he split the vote? after all allot of his support is coming from liberals as well as conservatives.

[Bradley in DC]

When asked, Dr. Paul has given a negative response to running as an independent or on a third party label. He has not, that I know of, given a Shermanesque absolutely not, no, but for where we are now, we need to take him at his word.

I know that internally among advisors and friends, some argued for an LP or other run and he decided against it.

His best chance to be elected is to get the Republican nomination and run against Hillary, IMHO.:D

A further complication that this thread has not addressed is that Dr. Paul is taking advantage of the LBJ rule in Texas and running simultaneaously for re-election to his House seat (yes, if you live in TX CD 14 you can vote for him for president and for Congressman). He would have to resign his House seat to be president (illegal to work for two branches of government simultaneously). It would not work, I don't think, for him to be the nominee of a third party for president and Republican nominee for Congress. Since half of Texans vote straight party ticket, it would be political suicide not to run as a Republican for Congress.

We need to do ALL we can to get him the Republican nomination!!!

[Original_Intent]

Another reason for him to say no he does nto plan to do that , is to say otherwise the party would use that statement to destroy him.

I think that saying, No, I have no plans to do that does not equal No period.

That being said I agree that the focus needs to be the GOP nomination.

Failing that, we all have to agree not to hold our nose and vote for the lesser of two evils, but go third party if we have to to find the best candidate that we can.

[J_M]

I'd like it if he ran for Governor of Texas. It would be cool but he probably does more as a congressman.

[Bradley in DC]

I'd like it if he ran for Governor of Texas. It would be cool but he probably does more as a congressman.

I'd rather seem him with the ability to filibuster and put holds on legislation and personnel confirmations in the Senate!:)

[hambone1982]

Check out this article about Ron Paul running as a 3rd party candidate:

http://themoderatevoice.com/society/drugs/13122/time-for-a-third-party-candidate-how-about-ron-paul-squared/

[lucky]

Look we need to remain focused here. This is very important.

Ron Paul is going to win the nomination to run as the Republican standard bearer. If he does then he will run and win the presidency.

He is going to do that by all of us and our friends and their friends and so on voting for him in the Republican primaries.

It is going to be an uphill battle as the forces are going to arraigned against him but we will prevail against the odds and do it.

Easy as all that.