Ron Paul is a doctor from Texas who also happens to be a member of Congress, despite wrangling to displace him as a Representative. The Republican Party often runs other candidates against Ron Paul, yet he continues to get elected. He is a Constitutionalist, someone who believes in strict adherence to the Constitution. This has earned him the nickname “Dr. No,” because as his voting record shows, he consistently votes no on measures and funding bills that are not strictly in line with the Constitution.
Dr. Paul is very conservative and principled in his stances. He also puts his money where his mouth is, according to his supporters. As someone who stands firmly against welfare, at least at the federal level, he has treated some patients free of charge rather than accept Medicaid.
An oft-told story accuses him of refusing to give Mother Theresa a Congressional Medal of Honor. He actually refused every such medal, because medals and ceremonies can cost tens of thousands of taxpayer’s dollars and are not authorized spending under the Constitution. After voting no, he took money out of his own pocket and asked other members of Congress to join him in contributing private funds to obtain the medals.
Very outspoken, Ron Paul is described by supporters as a true statesman rather than a politician. He seems to have few friends in Congress, but says he did not go to Washington D.C. to make friends. This and the above has earned him another nickname, the “taxpayer’s friend.”
Once a member of the Libertarian Party, some Libertarians now disagree with Ron Paul's stances on immigration, abortion, and same sex marriage. Ron Paul is adamantly pro-life. However, he does believe that this as well as same-sex marriage are issues best left to the states, as per the Constitution, specifically Article I, Section 8, and the Tenth Amendment.
As far as illegal immigration, Ron Paul embraces protecting the borders. He doesn’t believe in amnesty, and feels that those who come here illegally should not be rewarded for breaking the law. He doesn’t believe America can be strong in the War on Terror with open borders and that American troops should defend the homeland instead of being the world’s police force or engaging in nation building.
Ron Paul formed an exploratory committee in January of 2007. He announced his candidacy for the 2008 presidential election in March of 2007. He has received precious little media coverage as a presidential hopeful. Supporters believe that the American people are ready for a change and that Ron Paul has something to offer everyone.
