He may have stopped trying to derail Mitt Romney’s steady climb to the Republican presidential nomination, but Texas Rep. Ron Paul is still raising money, a reminder his many supporters will be a force at the Republican National Convention in Tampa:
During May, Paul raised $1.78 million and ended the month with nearly $3.3 million in the bank — more than he had at the end of April — with no debt, according to newly filed federal campaign finance reports.
While that’s a pittance compared with presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney’s cash stash, Paul’s financial position remains significantly better than those of fellow former contenders Rick Santorum or Newt Gingrich, who both owe creditors millions of dollars.
Paul himself acknowledges he won’t be his party’s nominee.
But his May fundraising is an indication that Paul’s passionate supporters remain willing to invest in his ideological push toward the Republican National Convention, at which he hopes to “grow our movement and shape the future of the GOP.”
And the longtime congressman from Texas received heartening news this weekend, when Iowa Republicans decided to primarily send Paul backers to the national convention more than half a year after state caucus-goers crowned Romney, then Santorum, the supposed winner.
Whether it’s a plank in the platform speaking to their concerns about the Federal Reserve, or a prominent speaking slot for Paul, his legions of supporters will need to be acknowledged by the GOP establishment.
