Paul backers seek state path to national impact

THOMAS BEAUMONT

Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Ron Paul has given up on becoming president. Yet supporters still clinging to the slim-to-none hope of nominating the libertarian-leaning lawmaker could complicate Mitt Romney's plan for a peaceful national GOP convention.

Backers of the Texas congressman have been taking over state Republican conventions in places like Nevada and Maine. They plan to do the same in Iowa on Saturday in their effort to carry his banner to the national convention in Tampa, Fla.

A top Paul backer in Iowa, David Fischer, says Paul supporters want to send Paul-inspired people to the GOP convention to show they're not going away.

Supporters say they hope to inject into the Republican Party what they call the Paul family principles: smaller government, sound monetary policy and a limited international military presence.

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