Here's why Paul isn't doing better

For the Monitor

Last modified: 1/6/2012 12:00:00 AM

I've recently noted some Ron Paul supporters wondering why their candidate's numbers in New Hampshire aren't higher. After all, the state seemed to have gone libertarian in a big way in 2010, with the election to the Legislature of about 12 Free State Project candidates who ran as Republicans and over 100 Republican candidates who got in after being vetted and supported by the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance and the Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire, which are both organizations that Free State Project members and supporters created several years ago, in part to weed out moderate Republicans.



I've come up with two explanations for the low numbers for Paul. First, while the Free State Project's organizational skills and support system were directed to the state elections in 2010, and candidates with libertarian leanings then came out of the woodwork and with the bonus of some Tea Party enthusiasm were swept into the Legislature, these candidates were not representative of New Hampshire Republicans in general.



Second, as moderate Republicans have come to understand what libertarian influence has now done to the Legislature and the state, they've turned further away from libertarian politicians and thus from Paul. They've had a front-row seat on the non-creative destruction that has occurred, as these politicians have set about cutting costs, dismantling programs and imposing libertarian ideology on New Hampshire citizens. Guns for everyone, everywhere, in New Hampshire comes to mind.



VICTORIA PARMELE



Northwood





