Editing Ron Paul (section)

== 2012 presidential campaign ==
{{Main|Ron Paul 2012 presidential campaign}}
{{See also|2012 Republican Party presidential primaries}}

=== 2012 Republican primary campaign ===
[[File:Ron Paul WRLC.jpg|left|thumb|Congressman Ron Paul speaking at the Western Republican Leadership Conference in [[Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]], in october 2011.]]
Paul won several early straw polls for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ron-paul-and-herman-cain-lead-the-pack-in-tea-party-patriots-straw-poll/ |title=Ron Paul and Herman Cain lead the pack in Tea Party Patriots straw poll |work=CBS News |date=February 28, 2011 |access-date=April 5, 2011 |first=Lucy |last=Madison}}</ref> and formed an official exploratory committee in late April 2011.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna42770196 |title=Ron Paul kicks off exploratory committee for 2012 bid |work=NBC News |date=April 26, 2011 |access-date=April 26, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/gop-presidential-primary/89587-ron-paul-takes-step-toward-2012-bid-final-decision-next-month/ |title=Ron Paul officially announces 2012 presidential exploratory committee |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408202320/http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/gop-presidential-primary/157817-ron-paul-officially-announces-2012-exploratory-committee |archive-date=April 8, 2016 |work=The Hill |date=April 26, 2011 |url-status=live |access-date=April 26, 2011}}</ref> He participated in the first Republican presidential debate on May 5, 2011<ref name=election-news>{{cite web |url=http://uselectionnews.org/foxsc-debate-features-just-5-of-2012-gop/853203 |title=FOX/SC Debate Features Just 5 of 2012 GOP |author=Taylor, Alexandra |date=May 5, 2011 |access-date=May 5, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110509004035/http://uselectionnews.org/foxsc-debate-features-just-5-of-2012-gop/853203/ |archive-date=May 9, 2011}}</ref> and on May 13, 2011, formally announced his candidacy in an interview on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s ''[[Good Morning America]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/13/breaking-rep-ron-paul-announces-third-bid-for-presidency/ |title=Rep. Ron Paul announces candidacy for president |work=CNN |date=May 13, 2011 |access-date=May 13, 2011 |archive-date=September 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922053730/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/13/breaking-rep-ron-paul-announces-third-bid-for-presidency/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> He placed second in the 2011 [[Ames Straw Poll]], missing first by 0.9%.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bachmann Wins Ames Straw Poll, Ron Paul in Close Second |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/michele-bachmann-wins-ames-straw-poll-ron-paul/story?id=14298827 |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |date=August 13, 2011 |first1=Michael |last1=Falcone |first2=Amy |last2=Walter |first3=Matthew |last3=Jaffe |first4=Jason |last4=Volack |access-date=August 14, 2011}}</ref> Paul indicated in a June 2011 interview that if nominated, he would consider former New Jersey Superior Court judge [[Andrew Napolitano]] as his running mate.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ron Paul's VP Prospect? |url=https://www.thestreet.com/politics/ron-pauls-vp-propsect-11157087 |work=TheStreet |date=June 17, 2011 |first=Alex |last=Steel}}</ref>

In December 2011, with Paul's increased support, the controversy over racist and homophobic statements in several [[Ron Paul newsletters]] in the 1980s and early 1990s once again gained media attention.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/20/us/politics/bias-in-ron-pauls-newsletters-draws-new-attention.html |title=New Focus on Incendiary Words in Paul's Newsletters |work=The New York Times |date=December 20, 2011 |last1=Rutenberg |first1=Jim |last2=Oppel |first2=Richard A. Jr. |url-access=limited}}</ref> During this time Paul supporters asserted that he was continually ignored by the media despite his significant support, citing examples of where television news shows would fail to mention Paul in discussions of the Republican presidential hopefuls even when he was polling second.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ron |last=Smith |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2011/08/18/ron-paul-aka-the-invisible-candidate-3/ |title=Ron Paul, aka the invisible candidate |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418181938/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-08-18/news/bs-ed-smith-20110818_1_herman-cain-invisible-candidate-gop-presidential-debate |archive-date=April 18, 2016 |url-status=live |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Bruce |last=Ramsey |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/edcetera/2015926924_post.html |title=Ron Paul Ignored |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111019071706/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/edcetera/2015926924_post.html |archive-date=October 19, 2011 |work=[[The Seattle Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Frank |last=James |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2011/08/16/139669952/ron-paul-wears-invisibility-cloak-in-medias-eyes?t=1561471109486 |title=Ron Paul Wears Invisibility Cloak In News Media's Eyes |publisher=NPR}}</ref>

====Iowa====
Ron Paul's presidential campaign managers [[Jesse Benton]], John Tate and Demetri Kesari were all found guilty of paying former Iowa state senator [[Kent Sorenson]] $73,000 to switch his support from Rep. [[Michele Bachmann]] to Paul.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.apnews.com/b7d508267328424d8822b83cce7375ac |date=May 11, 2018 |title=Court upholds convictions of 2012 Ron Paul campaign staffers |first=David |last=Pitt |work=Associated Press}}</ref> In court papers filed in August 2014, Sorenson said that he had been paid by both presidential campaigns for his endorsement and pled guilty to criminal charges stemming from the incident.<ref>{{cite news |first=Matea |last=Gold |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/08/27/former-iowa-state-senator-pleads-guilty-in-ron-paul-endorsement-for-pay-scheme/ |title=Former Iowa state senator pleads guilty in Ron Paul endorsement-for-pay scheme |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=August 27, 2014 |date=August 27, 2014 |url-access=limited}}</ref>

Paul came in third in the [[Iowa Republican caucuses, 2012|Iowa Republican Caucus]] held on January 3, 2012. Out of a turnout of 121,503 votes, Paul took 26,036 (21%) of the certified votes. [[Rick Santorum]] and [[Mitt Romney]] finished in a virtual tie for first place with 25% each,<ref>{{cite news |last=Jacobs |first=Jennifer |title=2012 GOP Caucus Count Unresolved |url=http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2012/01/19/register-exclusive-2012-gop-caucus-count-unresolved |access-date=January 21, 2012 |newspaper=Des Moines Register |date=January 12, 2012 |archive-date=January 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20120121155426/http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2012/01/19/register-exclusive-2012-gop-caucus-count-unresolved/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> although Ron Paul had ultimately won<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2012/primaries/states/iowa.html |title=Iowa Republican Caucuses |work=The New York Times |url-access=limited}}</ref> Iowa at the [[Republican National Convention]] gathering 22 delegates to Mitt Romney's 5. In the [[2012 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary|New Hampshire primary]] held on January 10, 2012, Paul received 23% of the votes and came in second after Romney's 39%.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Hampshire – Summary Vote Results |url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2012/by_state/NH_Page_0110.html?SITE=AP&SECTION=POLITICS |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=January 11, 2012 |access-date=January 11, 2012}}</ref>

====South Carolina, Florida, and Nevada====
[[File:Ron Paul Support Sign Ann Arbor Michigan.JPG|thumb|200x200px|Sign in support of Paul in [[Ann Arbor, Michigan]] on the day of the 2012 Michigan primary]]
Paul's results then declined, despite the withdrawal of candidates [[Michele Bachmann]], [[Jon Huntsman Jr.|Jon Huntsman]] and [[Rick Perry]]. He had fourth-place finishes in the next two primaries, on January 21 in South Carolina (with 13% of the vote)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.news4jax.com/election-2012/Gingrich-wins-South-Carolina-GOP-primary-CNN-projects-Romney-second/-/1875986/8481832/-/n89pf/-/ |title=Gingrich Wins SC GOP Primary; Romney Second |work=News4Jax.com |author=<!--CNN Wire Staff--> |date=January 21, 2012 |access-date=January 22, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510051941/http://www.news4jax.com/election-2012/Gingrich-wins-South-Carolina-GOP-primary-CNN-projects-Romney-second/-/1875986/8481832/-/n89pf/-/ |archive-date=May 10, 2012}}</ref> and on January 31 in Florida (where he received 7% of the vote).<ref name="FLEW">{{cite web |url=http://enight.elections.myflorida.com |title=Florida Election Watch |publisher=Florida Department of State: Division of Elections |access-date=February 1, 2012}}</ref><ref name="Vote by COUNTY">{{cite web |url=http://enight.elections.myflorida.com/Default5.aspx |title=Florida Election Watch: Candidate County Reporting |publisher=Florida Department of State: Division of Elections |access-date=February 1, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201194104/http://enight.elections.myflorida.com/Default5.aspx |archive-date=February 1, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Google Politics & Elections |url=https://www.google.com/elections/ed/us/results/2012/gop-primary/fl |date=January 31, 2012 |access-date=January 31, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201192936/https://www.google.com/elections/ed/us/results/2012/gop-primary/fl |archive-date=February 1, 2012}}</ref>

On February 4, Paul finished third in Nevada with 18.8% of the vote.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2012-02-04/republican-nevada-caucus/52957864/1 |title=Mitt Romney wins Nevada GOP caucuses |work=USA Today |access-date=February 5, 2012 |date=February 5, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208164746/https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2012-02-04/republican-nevada-caucus/52957864/1|archive-date=8 February 2012|author-first1=William M. |author-last1=Welch}}</ref> Three non-binding primaries were held on February 7; Paul took 3rd place in Colorado<ref name="CO2012">{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2012/colorado-caucuses-feb-7/ |title=2012 Colorado Caucuses |publisher=Fox News |date=October 1, 2006 |access-date=March 10, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121116183940/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2012/colorado-caucuses-feb-7 |archive-date=November 16, 2012}}</ref> and Missouri<ref name="MO2012">{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2012/missouri-primary-feb-7/ |title=2012 Missouri Primary |publisher=Fox News |date=October 1, 2006 |access-date=March 10, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121116195113/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2012/missouri-primary-feb-7 |archive-date=November 16, 2012}}</ref> with 13% and 12% of the vote, respectively. He fared better in Minnesota<ref name="MN2012">{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2012/minnesota-caucuses-feb-7/ |title=2012 Minnesota Caucuses |publisher=Fox News |date=October 1, 2006 |access-date=March 10, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115130054/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2012/minnesota-caucuses-feb-7 |archive-date=November 15, 2012}}</ref> with 27%, finishing second to [[Rick Santorum]]. On May 14, Paul's campaign announced that due to lack of funds (though despite financial backing from financiers [[Peter Thiel]] and [[Mark Spitznagel]])<ref>{{cite news |last=DeBord |first=Matthew |title=Meet Mark Spitznagel, Ron Paul's L.A. hedge-fund guy |url=http://www.scpr.org/blogs/economy/2012/03/05/4955/meet-mark-spitznagel-ron-pauls-l-hedge-fund-guy/ |access-date=April 10, 2015 |newspaper=KPCC |date=March 5, 2012}}</ref> he would no longer actively campaign for votes in the 11 remaining primary states, including Texas and California, that had not yet voted.<ref name="washingtontimes05142012" /><ref name="ABC0514">{{cite news |last=Good |first=Chris |title=Ron Paul to Stop Campaigning in New States |url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/05/ron-paul-to-stop-campaigning-in-new-states/ |access-date=May 14, 2012 |newspaper=ABC News |date=May 14, 2012}}</ref> He would, however, continue to seek to win delegates for the national party convention in the states that had already voted.

====Alleged irregularities====
In June, a group of 132 supporters of Paul, demanding the freedom as delegates to the upcoming Republican Party National Convention to cast votes for Paul, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against the [[Republican National Committee]] and 55 state and territorial Republican party organizations for allegedly coercing delegates to choose [[Mitt Romney]] as the party's presidential nominee.<ref name=NJsuit>{{cite news |last=Roth |first=Caroline |title=RNC Faces Suit from Paul Backers |url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/rnc-faces-suit-from-paul-backers-20120619 |access-date=June 19, 2012 |newspaper=National Journal |date=June 19, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619210645/http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/rnc-faces-suit-from-paul-backers-20120619 |archive-date=June 19, 2012}}</ref> The suit alleged that there had been "a systematic campaign of [[election fraud]] at state conventions", employing rigging of voting machines, ballot stuffing, and falsification of ballot totals. The suit further pointed to incidents at state conventions, including acts of violence and changes in procedural rules, allegedly intended to deny participation of Paul supporters in the party decision-making and to prevent votes from being cast for Paul. An attorney representing the complainants said that Paul campaign advisor [[Doug Wead]] had voiced support for the legal action.<ref name="NJsuit"/> Paul himself told [[CNN]] that although the lawsuit was not a part of his campaign's strategy and that he had not been advising his supporters to sue, he was not going to tell his supporters not to sue, if they had a legitimate argument. He said, "If they're not following the rules, you have a right to stand up for the rules. I think for the most part these winning caucuses that we've been involved in we have followed the rules. And the other side has at times not followed the rules."<ref name=CNNsuit>{{cite news |title=Ron Paul interview with Wolf Blitzer |url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1206/19/sitroom.01.html |access-date=June 19, 2012 |newspaper=CNN (The Situation Room) |date=June 19, 2012}}</ref>

=== Republican National convention ===
Paul declined to speak at the Republican National Convention as a matter of principle, saying that the convention planners had demanded that his remarks be vetted by the Romney campaign and that he make an unqualified endorsement of Romney.<ref name=nytspeech>{{cite news |last=Harwood |first=John |title=Libertarian legion stands ready to accept torch from Paul |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/us/politics/ron-paul-passing-torch-to-a-libertarian-legion.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 25, 2012 |url-access=limited}}</ref> Paul had felt that "It wouldn't be my speech... That would undo everything I've done in the last 30 years. I don't fully endorse him for president."<ref name=nytspeech/> Many of Paul's supporters and delegates walked out of the convention in protest over rules adopted by the convention that reduced their delegate count and that would make it harder for non-establishment candidates to win the party's nomination in future elections.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mehta |first=Seema |title=Ron Paul supporters walk out of GOP convention |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2012-aug-28-la-pn-ron-paul-supporters-walk-out-of-gop-convention-20120828-story.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=August 28, 2012 |url-access=limited}}</ref> Supporters and media commentators had noted that the delegations from states where Paul had had the most support were given the worst seats in the convention hall, while delegations from regions with no electoral votes, such as the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico, were given prime seats at the front.<ref>{{cite news |last=Friess |first=Steve |title=Ron Paul delegates get nosebleed seats |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80168.html |newspaper=Politico |date=August 26, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Dunham |first=Richard |title=Ron Paul delegates get worse seats than Republicans from Guam, Samoa |url=http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2012/08/ron-paul-delegates-get-worse-seats-than-republicans-from-guam-samoa/ |newspaper=Houston Chronicle |date=August 27, 2012}}</ref>

=== Endorsement after ending campaign ===
As in 2008, Paul ultimately refused to endorse the ticket selected by the Republican Party in 2012. He said that there was no essential difference between Romney and his Democratic opponent, President Obama, on the most critical policies: "I've been in this business a long time and believe me there is essentially no difference from one administration to another no matter what the platforms... The foreign policy stays the same, the monetary policy stays the same, there's no proposal for any real cuts and both parties support it."<ref>{{cite news |last=David |first=Javier |title=Ron Paul won't endorse Romney, cites more of the same |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2012/10/11/ron-paul-wont-endorse-romney-cites-more-of-same.html |newspaper=CNBC |date=October 11, 2012}}</ref> Paul received 26,204 write-in votes, or 0.02% of the total cast in the election.<ref>{{cite web |title=2012 presidential election results state by state |url=http://www.thegreenpapers.com/G12/President-Details.phtml?n=PAUL,RONALDERON |work=The Green Papers |date=November 11, 2012}}</ref>