Paul Loses North Dakota But Campaign Presses On
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ABC News(FARGO, N.D.) — Ron Paul’s hopes for his first win of the presidential season were dashed again Tuesday night when North Dakota handed the libertarian leaning Texas congressman another loss.
The campaign was very optimistic about a win there, even abandoning the Super Tuesday caucus state of Idaho to campaign in North Dakota Tuesday night.
He told a group of several hundred supporters at a caucus site in Fargo that he was going to win.
“This country is ready and raring,” Paul said to thunderous applause.
Paul is sticking with his strategy of focusing on small caucus states and placed big bets on three Super Tuesday states: Alaska, Idaho, and North Dakota.
The Texas congressman visited Alaska over the weekend. Paul is the only candidate who made a trip up there, while others sent delegates or held teleconferences.
Paul then went to Idaho, and although Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich have campaigned in the state, only Paul actually has a campaign office there.
Tuesday was Paul’s third visit to North Dakota in the primary season, following a February tour of the state and an event in Fargo last November. Romney and Santorum have also visited North Dakota, while Gingrich has not.
But Paul’s efforts didn’t generate the wins he had hoped for. He came in second place Tuesday night in both Idaho and North Dakota, trailing Romney and Santorum, respectively. And in Alaska, Paul fell to third behind Romney and Santorum, according to the Alaska GOP.
Although Paul has admitted that his chances “are slim” of winning the GOP nomination, he shows no sign of slowing down. He is already planning campaign events in Kansas on Friday and Missouri on Saturday.
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