Paul gets six petitions but falls short of having his name added to RNC ballot

Lynne Sladky / AP

TAMPA, Fla. — Despite a determined and frenzied effort, delegates making a last ditch push to put Texas Rep. Ron Paul’s name on the presidential nominating ballot fell just short of the eight states they needed to make it happen.

Paul supporters, lead by Nevada delegate Wayne Terhune, succeeded in putting together petitions from six states to put Paul’s name up for nomination. But earlier this week, the Romney campaign won a critical rules change requiring eight states to put a candidate up for nomination.

At the last moment, Paul supporters handed the petitions to the convention secretary. Then, the convention voted to adopt the eight-state rule, crushing the Paul effort.

“They said to us, you have no voice,” Paul delegate Cindy Lake of Las Vegas said. “Tea Party, you have no voice. Liberty movement, you have no voice.”

With more than 1,500 Romney delegates on the floor, it was always unlikely Paul would win the rules fight.

"It's a very slim window... but we are in the game," Terhune said earlier in the day.

Other than Nevada, states submitting Paul's name for nomination are Iowa, Oregon, Minnesota, Alaska and the Virgin Islands.