Dallas-Area College Students Spread Support For Ron Paul
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Surfside) and his libertarian views have attracted a growing loyal following nationwide.
Among the 76-year-old's supporters since four years ago: College students, who are far younger than the politician –– like Amanda Newton, a junior at the University of Texas at Dallas. She says, "Age has nothing to do with it."
She is starting a Youth for Ron Paul chapter at UT Dallas, and says it's Paul's ideas that have attracted her.
"The promotion of peace is the most important," Newton said. "The non-interventionist policy where we're not going over and inserting democracy into other countries."
Spencer Price Matthews, who helped found the Youth for Paul chapter at Southern Methodist University, agrees.
He backs Paul's position that President Barack Obama was wrong not go to Congress before using the U.S. military to oust Libya's Moammar Gadhafi.
"Ron Paul is not against war. He's against undeclared war for one," Matthews said. "It's not one person's decision it's Congress's decision."
Matthews and Newton were among those who showed up Monday night at a Ron Paul gathering in North Dallas.
Like so many others, they like Paul's belief of limited government.
"The Constitution was a framework where We The People gave the government limited power, not they turned around and gave us the rights that we have," Newton said.
Dallas-based political analyst John Weekley says younger voters often reject politics as usual, and perhaps no candidate symbolizes that more this year than Paul.
"It makes it very easy for them to adopt a lot of Ron Paul's positions," Weekley said. "He's very clear what they are, he's rather purist about some of his positions."
Many of Paul's supporters believe he will go all the way through to the convention.
They realize he may not win the nomination, but they hope Paul will have enough delegates to influence the Republican's platform at their convention in Tampa this summer.
