Republican Texas Congressman Ron Paul gained widespread grassroots conservative support during the 2008 presidential election for his support for lower taxes, small government and a non-interventionist foreign policy.
In Montana, especially, Paul enjoyed broad appeal and placed second in the Republican caucus here. But as he campaigns to keep his seat, Paul is facing challengers from an unlikely place: the right. From the Dallas Morning News:
Paul, the Gulf Coast congressman whose 2008 presidential run excited libertarians nationwide, even though he didn’t get much traction overall, is considered by many to be the “father of the Tea Parties.” But he has three opponents in the March Republican primary – more than he has faced in his past six primary campaigns combined.
All three have ties to the anti-tax Tea Party movement. And while Paul remains the odds-on favorite to win re-election in his district, the crowded primary highlights the potential conflict between Tea Party activists and a GOP hoping to ride their wave to electoral success this fall.
What’s odd is that many of Paul’s challengers are criticizing him for opposing hurricane relief based on his fiscal conservative views and point out that he votes “no” on everything. They say the congressman is “too extreme,” and they certainly appear to be making an appeal to more establishment Republicans for votes.