Editing Ron Paul (section)

====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.