Paul's endorsement over Cuccinelli helps him against Libertarian Robert Sarvis. | AP Photos Paul endorses Cuccinelli for Va. gov

Ron Paul endorsed Ken Cuccinelli for Virginia governor Friday night, boosting the Republican’s push to woo voters who have bled to a third-party candidate.

Libertarian Robert Sarvis could be a spoiler in next month’s off-year election, attracting what should be Republican voters concerned about the nominee’s strong opposition to gay marriage and abortion.


The former Texas congressman, who retains a large following among libertarians after his presidential bid last year, does not mention Sarvis in his two-page letter of support for Cuccinelli.

Instead, he praises Cuccinelli as someone who will be “willing to stand up to the politicians of both parties in Washington.”

( PHOTOS: Ken Cuccinelli’s career)

“Ken Cuccinelli has always stood for smaller government and limited government,” writes Paul. “He has consistently and unapologetically worked with the Liberty movement in Virginia. His stand against ObamaCare shows he is willing to stand up to Washington’s continued abuses on our individual liberties.”

He quotes his friend Donna Holt, a libertarian activist, calling Cuccinelli “the most pro-liberty legislator and Attorney General we have ever had in Virginia.”

A POLITICO poll this week found Sarvis getting 12 percent among likely voters, with Democrat Terry McAuliffe leading Cuccinelli by 9 points.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has already offered support for Cuccinelli and appeared at a fundraiser for him in Nashville.

( PHOTOS: Ron Paul’s career)

Cuccinelli pronounced himself “thrilled” by the “great news.”

“A true warrior in defense of our liberty and first principles,” he wrote in a letter to his grass-roots list. “Thank you, Ron, for all you have done for our country.”

Sarvis downplayed the Kentucky senator’s support for his opponent in a recent interview, and his chief strategist downplayed the Ron Paul news.

“The Sarvis campaign is proud to have the endorsement of [former New Mexico] Gov. Gary Johnson whose ‘socially tolerant, fiscally responsible’ presidential campaign theme complements Robert Sarvis’s Libertarian vision for a Virginia that’s both ‘Open-minded and Open for Business,’” emailed J.V. LaBeaume.

Johnson, the Libertarian Party’s 2012 nominee for president, plans a trip to Virginia later this month to help Sarvis.

( Also on POLITICO: Ken Cuccinelli ad: Terry McAuliffe ‘despicable’)

Sarvis learned Thursday night that he will not be invited to the third and final gubernatorial debate at Virginia Tech on Oct. 24. Organizers said he is just under their 10 percent threshold in aggregated polling to participate.

McAuliffe, meanwhile, won the support Thursday of former Democratic Gov. Doug Wilder, who has sometimes been critical of the Democratic nominee and who stayed neutral in the 2009 governor’s race.