Thousands of college students enthusiastically gathered on the UW-Madison campus Thursday; not for a concert or festival, but to listen to a 76-year-old grandfather lecture them on the need to maintain a budget.

No, this is not an April Fool's joke. This is the Ron Paul campaign for president, and as strange as it sounds, the septuagenarian politician is a rock star to a demographic that usually prefers, um, actual rock stars.

The Republican U.S. representative from Texas was in Madison Thursday to stir up support for Wisconsin's April 3 presidential primary. It was one of 30 campuses he has visited for the campaign.

The night is expected to be a big GOP showdown between former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and presumptive nominee Gov. Mitt Romney. But to the more than 3,000 boisterous supporters at the Memorial Union Terrace on Thursday, the only candidate worth voting for is Paul, a civil libertarian running on a collection of issues that seem tailormade to appeal to centrists — and college students.

"He is liberal on social issues and he opposes the war," said Larry Sabato, a national political expert and director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. "The problem is, his issues are not exactly the ones that can win a Republican primary."