Supporters say Ron Paul won't be a third party candidate
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This week, Republican Party presidential hopeful Ron Paul opened himself up to scrutiny regarding the possibility of running as a third party candidate.
When asked on “Fox News Sunday”, Paul said that he had no intentions of running as an independent. Sean Theriault, associate professor of government at the University of Texas, said that language leaves things open.
“He could’ve squashed all rumors he was going to run as an independent by not using that word ‘intention,’” Theriault said. “Clearly, that word is a loaded term in today’s political climate, so the fact that he used it suggests that there is a crack in the door that he may walk through if he needs to.”
Staunch Paul supporters disagree. Jerri Lynn Ward has followed the Texas Congressman for 30 years.
“I disagree that he has not ruled out that he would run as an independent because I have clearly heard him say on two different occasions that he has no plans to do so,” Ward said. “They try to write him off as a kook by stressing this idea of him running as an independent because he has no intentions to do to that.”
Theriault said that if Paul does run as an independent, he’ll likely take a large number out of republican voters with him.
“It clearly would take votes away from the Republican,” Theriault said. “Think of the Ralph Nader example where it was clear that he was going to draw votes away from Al Gore and the Democratic candidate. Ralph Nader didn’t care, but I’m not sure that Ron Paul doesn’t care.”
YNN reached out to Ron Paul’s campaign for comment, but has not yet heard back.