Ron Paul’s message appeals to young voters

By Michael Sewall
Feb. 1, 2008

Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, addresses the U.S. health care system at Des Moines Area Community College during the Iowa caucuses in January. Paul is working to attract student voters and has much support around Missouri.

In Muhammad Ali’s second boxing bout against Joe Frazier, Ali let Frazier strike blow after blow, until it tired Frazier out, leading to an Ali victory.

Supporters of Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, say the overlooked Republican presidential candidate could experience a similar outcome. Although the “lose early and win later” strategy failed former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who dropped out of the Republican race Wednesday, it doesn’t phase supporters of Paul.

“We’re well-financed,” Boone County campaign coordinator Ismail Hameduddin said. “We have a very good strategy in every state and are campaigning in states most candidates are ignoring.”

With Super Tuesday this week, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney have emerged as the front-runners in the Republican primaries. Despite other candidates’, including Giuliani and former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., withdrawal, Paul has remained in the race.

Matt Begemann, president of University of Missouri Students for Ron Paul, said there is much support for Paul on campus and around the state, mostly focused in Columbia, St. Louis and the southwest portion of Missouri.

“We have tons of money to work with and really can concentrate on Super Tuesday,” Begemann said.

Paul’s group at MU is the only major organized group of student supporters on campus backing a Republican candidate. Three student groups were created at MU this past year to support Democratic candidates Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C. Edwards dropped out of the race on Wednesday.

While most of the discussion about attracting the youth vote has been centered on the Democratic race, Paul has found a way to draw student support.

“The libertarian slant is appealing to some of our students,” MU political science professor David Webber said. “Often they’re more vocal and outspoken, and students like that.”

Begemann said Paul’s stances on certain issues, including lowering taxes and his anti-war stance, appeal to younger voters. He added that Paul’s overall belief in individual rights is something that draws in support from younger crowds.

“One of the first things that turn people on is his stance on economics,” Begemann said. “A lot of young people don’t like seeing their paychecks going to the federal government.”

Another stance Paul takes that might invite youth interest is the legalization of drugs, including marijuana.

Central Missourians for Ron Paul chairwoman Amy Bremer said students might have a misconception of Paul’s intent with this belief. Bremer said that in addition to medicinal marijuana uses, legalizing drugs would take away a lot of crime.

“A lot of the students say he wants to legalize marijuana,” Bremer said. “He’s saying, we don’t want you putting people in prison because they have cancer.”

Although many would call Paul’s views “extreme,” the ground campaign he has working for him across the country and in Missouri has supporters willing to significantly invest in the campaign.

“Anything we do is all funded by local volunteers,” Bremer said. “We really depend on the grassroots. It’s my own money, my own time. I’m willing to do it because it’s that important to me.”

Ron Paul supporters in Boone County and Central Missouri have worked on events such as phone banking, canvassing, buying radio advertisements and passing out literature to voters. They also have attended events in Columbia, including a Giuliani stump speech and the Kansas-MU basketball game earlier this year.

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Ron Paul’s message appeals to young voters

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