SERGEANT BLUFF, Iowa -- Northwest Iowans say it takes a different mentality to embrace the ideas of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul. But those who saw the Texas Congressman speak on Tuesday made it clear they are fully on board with his candidacy.

Paul, long known for his libertarian bent, stopped at the Sergeant Bluff Community Center and again spoke of the need to return the nation's monetary system to backing with a gold standard and to pull back from the U.S. military presence in places like Afghanistan.

Those ideas fly in the face of what more conventional candidates espouse, Tammy and Nathan Nieuswma said, while adding they still are hopeful the Paul candidacy will flourish. They drove an hour from Sioux Center, Iowa, to hear Paul, and will attend the August Iowa Republican Party straw poll in Ames to back him.

"I want to get him in the presidential Oval Office really badly," Nathan Nieuswma said.

Said Tammy Nieuswma, "He has such revolutionary ideas that it is like people need a totally different mindset to grasp how important Ron Paul is, how his changes will completely change where we are at. But I don't think a lot of people understand."

Paul addressed 50 people, including State Rep. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig.