View source for Ron Paul

{{Short description|American author and politician (born 1935)}}
{{About|the former U.S. Representative from Texas|his son|Rand Paul}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Ron Paul
| image               = Ron Paul 2023 (3x4 cropped).jpg
| caption             = Paul in 2023
| state1              = [[Texas]]
| term_start1         = January 3, 1997
| term_end1           = January 3, 2013
| predecessor1        = [[Greg Laughlin]]
| successor1          = [[Randy Weber]]
| constituency1       = {{ushr|TX|14|C}}
| term_start2         = January 3, 1979
| term_end2           = January 3, 1985
| constituency2       = {{ushr|TX|22|C}}
| predecessor2        = [[Robert Gammage]]
| successor2          = [[Tom DeLay]]
| term_start3         = April 3, 1976
| term_end3           = January 3, 1977
| predecessor3        = [[Robert R. Casey]]
| successor3          = Robert Gammage
| constituency3       = {{ushr|TX|22|C}}
| birth_name          = Ronald Ernest Paul
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1935|8|20}}
| birth_place         = [[Pittsburgh]], Pennsylvania, U.S.
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] (before 1987, 1996–Present)<br>[[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian]] (1987–1996)
| spouse              = {{marriage|Carolyn Wells|1957}}
| children            = 5, including [[Rand Paul|Rand]]
| education           = {{ubl |[[Gettysburg College]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]]) |[[Duke University]] ([[Doctor of Medicine|MD]])}}
| signature           = Ron Paul signature.svg
| website             = {{url|ronpaulinstitute.org|Official website}}
| allegiance          = United States
| branch              = [[United States Air Force]]
| serviceyears        = {{ubl |1963–1965 |1965–1968}}
| rank                = [[Captain (United States O-3)|Captain]]<ref>{{cite web |last=Heaster |first=Sean |title=Ron Paul |url=http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Paul__Ronald.html |access-date=March 2, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515234811/http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Paul__Ronald.html |archive-date=May 15, 2013}}</ref>
| unit                = {{tree list}}
* [[Air National Guard]]
** [[Texas Air National Guard]]
{{tree list/end}}
| module              = {{Listen |pos=center |embed=yes |filename=Rep. Ron Paul Speech Criticizing American Foreign Policy.ogg |title=Paul's voice |type=speech |description=Paul criticizing the [[Interventionism (politics)|interventionist]] foreign policy<br>Recorded October 17, 2003}}
}}
{{Ron Paul series}}
<!--Before editing this lead section, please review WP:MOSBIO and WP:LEAD, and search the Talk page for recent discussion. Consider whether your specific material might be better added to the Political Positions or Campaign sections, or the full separate articles they summarize. Per naming conventions, please do not add titles/details like "Dr.", "Rep.", "Capt.", "M.D.", "Sr.", etc., to Paul's name.-->
'''Ronald Ernest Paul''' (born August 20, 1935) is an American author, activist, medical doctor, and politician who served as the [[U.S. representative]] for [[Texas's 22nd congressional district]] from 1976 to 1977, and again from 1979 to 1985, as well as for [[Texas's 14th congressional district]]<!-- which included [[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]] --> from 1997 to 2013. On three occasions, he sought the [[President of the United States|presidency of the United States]], first as the [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]] nominee in [[Ron Paul 1988 presidential campaign|1988]], and then as a candidate for the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] in [[Ron Paul 2008 presidential campaign|2008]] and [[Ron Paul 2012 presidential campaign|2012]].

A self-described [[constitutionalist]], Paul is a critic of several of the [[Federal government of the United States|federal government]]'s policies, especially the existence of the [[Federal Reserve]] and [[tax policy]], as well as the [[military–industrial complex]], the [[war on drugs]], and the [[war on terror]]. He has also been a vocal critic of [[mass surveillance]] policies such as the [[Patriot Act]] and the [[Global surveillance disclosures (2013–present)|NSA surveillance programs]]. In 1976, Paul formed the [[Foundation for Rational Economics and Education]] (FREE), and in 1985 was named the first chairman of the conservative PAC [[Citizens for a Sound Economy]], both [[free-market]] groups focused on [[limited government]].<ref name="CSE">{{cite web |url=http://www.lib.ku.edu/paul/RonPaulCitizensforaSoundEconomy.pdf |title=Citizens for a Sound Economy |publisher=[[Citizens for a Sound Economy]] |access-date=June 25, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140114005046/http://www.lib.ku.edu/paul/RonPaulCitizensforaSoundEconomy.pdf |archive-date=January 14, 2014}}</ref> He has been characterized as the "intellectual godfather" of the [[Tea Party movement]], a [[fiscally conservative]] political movement started in 2007 and popularized in 2009 that is largely against most matters of [[Interventionism (politics)|interventionism]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/12/ron_pauls_tea_p.html |work=The Boston Globe |first=James F. |last=Smith |title=Ron Paul's tea party for dollars |date=December 16, 2007 |access-date=September 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025063623/http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/12/ron_pauls_tea_p.html |archive-date=October 25, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/11/the-tea-party-8217-s-brain/8280/a |title=The Tea Party's Brain |work=The Atlantic |last=Green |first=Joshua |date=August 5, 2011 |access-date=September 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023223819/http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/11/the-tea-partys-brain/308280/ |archive-date=October 23, 2012 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

Paul served as a [[flight surgeon]] in the [[U.S. Air Force]] from 1963 to 1968, and worked as an [[obstetrician-gynecologist]] from the 1960s to the 1980s.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rovner |first=Julie |title=Before he delivered for voters, Paul delivered babies |url=https://www.npr.org/2011/10/25/141653000/before-he-delivered-for-voters-paul-delivered-babies |publisher=NPR |date=October 25, 2011}}</ref> When his son, [[Rand Paul]], was elected as a U.S. senator from Kentucky in 2011, Paul became the first U.S. representative in history to serve concurrently with a child in the Senate.<ref>{{cite news |last=Douglas |first=William |title=Father watches with pride as Rand Paul becomes U.S. senator |publisher=[[The McClatchy Company]] |date=January 5, 2011 |url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/01/05/106256/father-watches-with-pride-as-rand.html#storylink=misearch |access-date=September 22, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826124253/http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/01/05/106256/father-watches-with-pride-as-rand.html |archive-date=August 26, 2012}}</ref> He is a senior fellow and distinguished counselor of the [[Mises Institute]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mises.org/faculty |title=Faculty and Staff |work=Mises Institute |access-date=November 24, 2021}}</ref> and has published a number of books and promoted the ideas of economists of the [[Austrian School]], such as [[Murray Rothbard]], [[Friedrich Hayek]], and [[Ludwig von Mises]], during his political campaigns. He has cited President [[Grover Cleveland]] as his preferred model of presidency.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bedard |first=Paul |title=Ron Paul Says All Modern Presidents--Including Reagan--Stink |work=US News |date=September 2011 |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2011/09/22/ron-paul-says-all-modern-presidents-including-reagan-stink |access-date=September 17, 2021}}</ref>

After the popularity and grassroots enthusiasm of his 2008 presidential bid,<!-- *Cite source that includes results. --> Paul announced in July 2011 that he would not seek reelection to Congress in order to focus on his 2012 bid for the presidency.<ref>{{cite news |last=Trygstad |first=Kyle |title=Ron Paul to Retire from Congress |work=[[Roll Call]] |date=July 12, 2011 |url=http://www.rollcall.com/news/Ron-Paul-retire-207207-1.html?ET=rollcall:e10569:80081152a:&st=email |access-date=September 22, 2012 |archive-date=September 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120919163021/http://www.rollcall.com/news/Ron-Paul-retire-207207-1.html?ET=rollcall:e10569:80081152a:&st=email |url-status=live}}</ref> Finishing in the top four with delegates in both races (while winning four states in the [[2012 Republican Party presidential primaries|2012 primaries]]), he refused to endorse the Republican nominations of [[John McCain]] and [[Mitt Romney]] during their respective 2008 and 2012 campaigns against [[Barack Obama]]. In May 2012, Paul announced that he would not be competing in any other presidential primaries but that he would still compete for delegates in states where the primary elections had already been held.<ref name="washingtontimes05142012">{{Cite news |last=Dinan |first=Stephen |title=Ron Paul ends his hunt for votes |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/may/14/ron-paul-ends-his-hunt-votes/ |work=[[The Washington Times]] |date=May 14, 2012 |access-date=May 14, 2012 |archive-date=August 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120822124522/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/may/14/ron-paul-ends-his-hunt-votes/ |url-status=live}}</ref> At both the [[2008 Republican National Convention|2008]] and [[2012 Republican National Convention|2012]] Republican National Conventions, Paul received the second-highest number of delegates, behind only McCain and Romney, respectively.<!-- *Cite source that includes results. -->

Paul remained active after his retirement from electoral politics, giving speeches promoting [[Libertarianism in the United States|libertarian]] and [[libertarian-conservative]] ideas on college campuses.<ref>{{cite news |last=Molly K. |first=Hooper |title=Retiring Ron Paul to make his case for liberty on college campuses next year |url=http://thehill.com/house-archive/268591-retiring-ron-paul-plans-to-make-case-for-liberty-on-college-campuses-next-year |newspaper=The Hill |access-date=May 1, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121121213813/http://thehill.com/house-archive/268591-retiring-ron-paul-plans-to-make-case-for-liberty-on-college-campuses-next-year |archive-date=November 21, 2012}}</ref><ref name="Camia">{{cite news |last=Camia |first=Catalina |title=Ron Paul slams Boston police response to blasts |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/onpolitics/2013/04/29/boston-bombings-manhunt-paul-patrick/2121727/ |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=May 1, 2013 |date=April 29, 2013}}</ref> He also continues to provide political commentary through ''The Ron Paul Liberty Report'', a web show he co-hosts on [[YouTube]]. At 81, and despite not running, Paul received one electoral vote from a Texas [[faithless elector]] in the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 presidential election]], making him the oldest person to receive an [[United States Electoral College|Electoral College]] vote.

== Early life, education, and medical career ==
Ronald Ernest Paul was born on August 20, 1935, in [[Pittsburgh]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Anderson |first=Lisa |title=A seller of ideas |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/1381838921.html |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |access-date=September 22, 2012 |date=November 13, 2007}}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> the son of Howard Caspar Paul (1904–1997), who ran a small dairy company, and Margaret Paul (née Dumont; 1908–2001). His paternal grandfather emigrated from [[Germany]],<ref name="ny"/> and his paternal grandmother, a devout Christian, was a first-generation [[German Americans|German American]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/endfed00paul |url-access=registration |title=End the Fed |last=Paul |first=Ron |publisher=Grand Central Publishing |year=2009 |page=[https://archive.org/details/endfed00paul/page/27 27] |access-date=April 3, 2016 |isbn=978-0446568180}}</ref> Ron Paul has two older brothers, William and David, and two younger brothers, Jerrold and Wayne.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Brief Look at Ron Paul's Family Tree Genealogy Families.com |url=https://www.families.com/a-brief-look-at-ron-pauls-family-tree |access-date=August 27, 2023 |website=www.families.com}}</ref> As a junior at suburban [[Keystone Oaks High School|Dormont High School]], he was the [[200 metres|200-meter dash]] state champion.<ref name="PTR" /> Paul went to [[Gettysburg College]], where he was a member of the [[Lambda Chi Alpha]] fraternity.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2011/12/03/143008554/5-things-you-may-not-know-about-ron-paul |title=5 Things You May Not Know About Ron Paul |author=Linton Weeks |publisher=NPR |date=December 4, 2011 |access-date=January 13, 2016}}</ref> He graduated with a [[Bachelor of Science|B.S.]] degree in [[biology]] in 1957.<ref name="PTR">{{cite news |url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_513029.html |title=Presidential candidate Ron Paul drawing diverse crowds |last=Wereschagin |first=Mike |work=[[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]] |date=June 17, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081005150543/http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_513029.html |archive-date=October 5, 2008}}</ref>

Paul earned a [[Doctor of Medicine]] degree from [[Duke University]]'s [[Duke University School of Medicine|School of Medicine]] in 1961, and completed his medical [[Internship (medicine)|internship]] at the [[Henry Ford Hospital]] in [[Detroit]] and his residency in [[obstetrics and gynecology]] at [[Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC|Magee-Womens Hospital]] in Pittsburgh.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/06/us/politics/for-ron-paul-a-distinctive-worldview-of-long-standing.html |title=Ron Paul's Flinty Worldview Was Forged in Early Family Life |first=David M. |last=Halbfinger |newspaper=The New York Times |location=New York |date=February 5, 2012 |access-date=February 26, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206170737/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/06/us/politics/for-ron-paul-a-distinctive-worldview-of-long-standing.html?pagewanted=all |archive-date=February 6, 2012 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref><ref name="psul" /> Paul served as a [[flight surgeon]] in the [[United States Air Force]] from 1963 to 1965 and then in the [[United States Air National Guard]] from 1965 to 1968. Paul and his wife then relocated to [[Texas]], where he began a private practice in [[Obstetrics and gynaecology|obstetrics and gynecology]].<ref name="psul">{{cite web |url=http://www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Paul__Ronald.html |title=Ron Paul biography |work=Pennsylvania Center for the Book |publisher=Penn State University Libraries |first=Sean P. |last=Summer |year=2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012215805/http://www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Paul__Ronald.html |archive-date=October 12, 2011}}</ref> One child that he helped deliver was famous Tejano singer [[Selena Quintanilla]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://preview.houstonchronicle.com/selena/the-doctor-who-delivered-a-baby-selena-was-17001553 |title=The doctor who delivered a baby Selena was presidential hopeful Ron Paul|first1=Joey|last1=Guerra|website=Houston Chronicle|date=March 31, 2022}}</ref>

== Early congressional career (1976–1985) ==
While a medical resident in the 1960s, Paul was influenced by [[Friedrich Hayek]]'s ''[[The Road to Serfdom]]'', which caused him to read other publications by [[Ludwig von Mises]] and [[Ayn Rand]]. He came to know economists [[Hans Sennholz]] and [[Murray Rothbard]] well, and credits his interest in the study of economics to them.<ref name="gold"/> When President [[Richard Nixon]] "[[Nixon shock|closed the gold window]]" by ending American participation in the [[Bretton Woods System]], thus ending on August 15, 1971, the [[United States dollar|U.S. dollar]]'s loose association with [[gold]],<ref name="gold">{{cite web |work=J. Taylor's Gold & Technology Stocks |date=May 11, 2000 |title=Taylor Interview with Ron Paul. In Defense of our 'Unalienable Rights{{'-}} |url=http://www.usagold.com/gildedopinion/taylorpaulintrvw.html |author=Taylor, Jay |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000829130227/http://www.usagold.com/gildedopinion/taylorpaulintrvw.html |url-status=live |archive-date=August 29, 2000}}</ref> Paul decided to enter politics,<ref name="drno">{{cite news |last=Gwynne |first=S.C. |title=Dr. No |url=http://www.texasmonthly.com/content/dr-no |newspaper=Texas Monthly |date=October 2001}}</ref> and became a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] candidate for the [[United States Congress]].<ref name="lambda">{{cite news |url=http://www.crossandcrescent.com/2007/11/ron-pauls-presidential-bid |title=Ron Paul's Presidential Bid |author=Barrick, Chris |date=November 2, 2007 |publisher=[[Lambda Chi Alpha]] |work=Cross and Crescent |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071104075054/http://www.crossandcrescent.com/2007/11/ron-pauls-presidential-bid/ |archive-date=November 4, 2007}}</ref>

=== Elections ===
In 1974, incumbent [[Robert R. Casey]] defeated him for the [[Texas's 22nd congressional district|22nd district]].<ref name="psul"/> President [[Gerald Ford]] later appointed Casey to the [[Federal Maritime Commission]], and Paul won an April 1976 [[special election]] to the vacant office after a [[Two-round system|runoff]].<ref name="1976-election">{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eswtAAAAIBAJ&dq=ron%20paul&pg=1316%2C978854 |title=Names in the News |work=[[Tri-City Herald]] |date=April 4, 1976}}{{dead link|date=April 2016}}</ref><ref name="casey">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wFXP0ZxhxE0C&q=Robert+R.+Casey+%22Federal+Maritime+Commission&pg=PA270 |title=A Concise History of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations |author=House Committee Print |date=December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070323/23paulfacts.htm |title=10 Things You Didn't Know About Ron Paul |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |date=March 23, 2007 |first=Danielle |last=Burton |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517082524/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070323/23paulfacts.htm |archive-date=May 17, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Paul lost the next regular election to [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Robert Gammage]] by fewer than 300&nbsp;votes (0.2%), but defeated Gammage in a 1978 rematch, and was reelected in 1980 and 1982.<ref name="fewer-than-300">{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6TZfAAAAIBAJ&dq=ron%20paul&pg=4829%2C3755468 |title=In Texas |work=The Bonham Daily Favorite |date=November 12, 1976}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0C14FA395B167493C6A9178AD95F428785F9 |title=Many Democrats in South Winon Carter's Coattails; G.O.P. Weakened in Region at All Political Levels |date=November 4, 1976 |newspaper=The New York Times |first=B. Drummond Jr. |last=Ayres}}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/opinion/sunday/douthat-Pariahs-and-Prophets.html |title=Pariahs and Prophets |work=The New York Times |date=December 31, 2011 |first=Ross |last=Douthat |archive-date=January 9, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109114706/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/opinion/sunday/douthat-Pariahs-and-Prophets.html?_r=0 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref> Gammage underestimated Paul's popularity among local mothers: "I had real difficulty down in [[Brazoria County, Texas|Brazoria County]], where he practiced, because he'd delivered half the babies in the county. There were only two obstetricians in the county, and the other one was his partner."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15016924 |title=Paul Has Long Drawn Support from Unlikely Places |publisher=NPR |date=October 7, 2007 |author=Goodwyn, Wade |work=the '08 Candidates' First Campaign |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071228231605/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15016924 |archive-date=December 28, 2007 |url-status=live |author-link=Wade Goodwyn}}</ref>

===Tenure===
[[File:Ron Paul 1979.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Paul in 1979]]
Paul served in Congress three different periods: first from 1976 to 1977, after he won a special election, then from 1979 to 1985, and finally from 1997 to 2013.<ref name="congress-bio">{{cite web |url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=P000583 |title=Biography |work=[[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127005610/http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=P000583 |archive-date=January 27, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> In his early years, Paul served on the [[House Banking Committee]], where he blamed the [[Federal Reserve]] for [[inflation]] and spoke against the banking mismanagement that resulted in the [[savings and loan crisis]].<ref name="ny" /><ref name="2008bio" /> Paul argued for a return to the gold standard maintained by the U.S. from 1873 to 1933, and with Senator [[Jesse Helms]] convinced the Congress to study the issue.<ref name="gold" /> He spoke against the reinstatement of registration for the military draft in 1980, in opposition to President [[Jimmy Carter]] and the majority of his fellow Republican members of Congress.<ref name="wsj1997" />

During his first term, Paul founded the [[Foundation for Rational Economics and Education]] (FREE), a non-profit [[think tank]] dedicated to promoting principles of [[limited government]] and free-market economics.<ref name="RPFREE">{{cite web |url=http://www.free-nefl.com/html/introduction.html |title=Introduction to FREE and NEFL |publisher=[[Foundation for Rational Economics and Education]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430160810/http://www.free-nefl.com/html/introduction.html |archive-date=April 30, 2008}}</ref><ref name="RPFEE2">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iBiq513excQC&q=%22Foundation+for+Rational+Economics+and+Education%22&pg=PA229 |title=The Case for Gold: A Minority Report of the U.S. Gold Commission |first1=Ron |last1=Paul |first2=Lewis |last2=Lehrman |publisher=Ludwig von Mises Institute |year=2007 |isbn=978-1610160537 |access-date=April 3, 2016}}</ref> In 1984, Paul became the first chairman of the [[Citizens for a Sound Economy]] (CSE),<ref name="CSE"/> a [[Conservatism|conservative]] [[politics|political]] group founded by [[Charles Koch|Charles]] and [[David Koch]] "to fight for less government, lower taxes, and less regulation." CSE started a [[Tea Party protest]] against high taxes in 2002.<ref name="TEA2002">{{cite web |url=http://www.usteaparty.com/ |title=Welcome to the US TEA PARTY |publisher=[[Citizens for a Sound Economy]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020913052026/http://www.usteaparty.com/ |archive-date=September 13, 2002}}</ref> In 2004, Citizens for a Sound Economy split into two new organizations, with Citizens for a Sound Economy being renamed as [[FreedomWorks]], and Citizens for a Sound Economy Foundation becoming [[Americans for Prosperity]]. The two organizations would become key players in the [[Tea Party movement]] from 2009 onward.

Paul proposed [[term limit|term-limit]] legislation multiple times, while himself serving four terms in the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]].<ref name="wsj1997">{{cite journal |last=Fund |first=John H. |date=January 13, 1997 |title=The Libertarian Congressman Is Back |journal=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |page=A18, column 3}}<!--http://www.seedship.com/politics/ronpaul1.html {{cite web |url=http://www.seedship.com/politics/ronpaul1.html |title=Archived copy |accessdate=September 27, 2007 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101127124847/http://www.seedship.com/politics/ronpaul1.html |archivedate=November 27, 2010}} --></ref> In 1984, he decided to retire from the House in order to [[1984 United States Senate election in Texas|run for the U.S. Senate]], complaining in his House farewell address that "Special interests have replaced the concern that the Founders had for general welfare... It's difficult for one who loves true liberty and utterly detests the power of the state to come to Washington for a period of time and not leave a true cynic."<ref name="insight1997">Berlau, John. "Now Playing Right Field". ''[[Insight on the News]]''.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://archive.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul433.html |title=Some Observations on Four Terms in Congress |author=Paul, Ron |work=[[LewRockwell.com]] |date=September 19, 1984}}</ref> Paul lost the Republican primary to [[Phil Gramm]], who had switched parties the previous year from Democrat to Republican.<!--<ref>{{cite news |publisher=National Public Radio |date=July 26, 2007 |author=Rudin, Ken |title=Ron Paul, George and Ringo |work=Political Junkie}}</ref>--> Another candidate of the senatorial primary was [[Henry Grover]], a conservative former state legislator who had lost the 1972 gubernatorial general election to Democrat [[Dolph Briscoe]], Jr.<ref name="elections_texas">{{cite web |url=https://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/uploads/gov1845-2010table.pdf |work=Texas Almanac |publisher=[[Texas State Historical Association]] |title=Elections of Texas Governors, 1845–2010}}</ref><ref name="rep-primary">{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9MMcAAAAIBAJ&dq=henry%20grover&pg=4858%2C2017191 |title=Gramm Voices Surprise |newspaper=[[The Victoria Advocate]] |date=May 6, 1984}}</ref> On Paul's departure from the House, his seat was assumed by former state representative [[Tom DeLay]], who would later become [[Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives|House majority leader]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legis/members/roster.cfm?leg=68 |title=Members and leaders of the Texas Legislature |publisher=Legislative Reference Library of Texas |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208130606/http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/roster.cfm?leg=68 |archive-date=February 8, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Libertarian Party and ventures ==

=== 1985–1997 ===
Following the loss of the 1984 senate race, Paul returned to his obstetrics practice and took part in a number of other business ventures.<ref name="ny"/><ref>{{cite journal |url=http://search.opinionarchives.com/Summary/AmericanSpectator/V32I11P58-1.htm |title=Eminentoes: A principled maverick |date=November 1999 |journal=[[American Spectator]] |access-date=February 13, 2008 |author-link=Brian Doherty (journalist) |last=Doherty |first=Brian |volume=32 |issue=11 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Along with his former congressional chief of staff, [[Lew Rockwell]], Paul founded a for-profit enterprise, Ron Paul & Associates, Inc. (RP&A) in 1984, with Paul serving as president, Rockwell as vice president, Paul's wife Carol as secretary, and daughter Lori Pyeatt as treasurer.
The company published a variety of [[Ron Paul newsletters|political and investment-oriented newsletters]], including ''Ron Paul Freedom Report'' and ''Ron Paul Survival Report'',<ref name=sanchez-weigel>{{cite news |url=https://reason.com/archives/2008/01/16/who-wrote-ron-pauls-newsletter |title=Who Wrote Ron Paul's Newsletters? |first1=Julian |last1=Sanchez |first2=David |last2=Weigel |author-link2=David Weigel |date=January 16, 2008 |access-date=August 6, 2018}}</ref> and by 1993 was generating revenues in excess of $900,000.<ref name="1995 video">{{cite news |work=[[USA Today]] |date=December 23, 2011 |title=1995 video shows Ron Paul discussing newsletters |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2011-12-22/ron-paul-newsletters-youtube/52163920/1 |first=Martha T. |last=Moore |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216050516/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2011-12-22/ron-paul-newsletters-youtube/52163920/1 |archive-date=December 16, 2013}}</ref>

Paul also co-owned a mail-order coin dealership, ''Ron Paul Coins'', for twelve years with [[Burt Blumert]], who continued to operate the dealership after Paul resumed office in 1996.<ref name=cw>{{cite news |url=http://www.libertydollar.org/news-stories/pdfs/1185851080.pdf |title=Presidential candidate Paul passionate over hard money: Texas legislator once ran investment coin firm |work=[[Coin World]] |date=July 23, 2007 |access-date=February 14, 2008 |author=Doyle, Al |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025214638/http://www.libertydollar.org/news-stories/pdfs/1185851080.pdf |archive-date=October 25, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.321gold.com/editorials/taylor/taylor031706.html |title=Congressman Ron Paul Talks About Gold, Oil & the Economy |author=Taylor, Jay |work=J. Taylor's Gold & Technology Stocks |date=March 17, 2006 |access-date=February 14, 2008}}</ref> Paul spoke multiple times at the [[American Numismatic Association]]'s 1988 convention.<ref name=cw/> He worked with his Foundation for Rational Economics and Education on such projects as establishing the National Endowment for Liberty, continuing publication of newsletters, and producing the ''At Issue'' public policy series that was broadcast on the [[Discovery Channel]] and [[CNBC]].<ref name=RPFREE/>

=== 1988 presidential campaign ===
{{Main|Ron Paul 1988 presidential campaign}}

Paul left the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] in 1987 and launched a bid for the presidency running on the [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]] ticket.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://71republic.com/2018/02/03/paul-attacks-libertarian-leadership |title=Ron Paul Attacks Libertarian Leadership in Response to Controversy |author=Lau, Ryan |date=February 3, 2018 |work=71Republic |access-date=February 3, 2018 |quote="I paid my lifetime membership, in 1987, with a gold coin, to make a point." |archive-date=February 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180204124008/https://71republic.com/2018/02/03/paul-attacks-libertarian-leadership/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> His candidacy was seen as problematic because of the party's platform position of support for freedom of choice on abortions. [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] activist [[Russell Means]], Paul's rival for the nomination, emphasized that he was in favor of [[abortion rights]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Wallace |last=Turner |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/04/us/major-libertarian-candidate-opposes-party-stand-on-abortion.html |title=Major Libertarian Candidate Opposes Party Stand on Abortion |work=The New York Times |date=September 4, 1987 |access-date=June 25, 2019 |url-access=limited}}</ref> In a forum held prior to the nomination, Means dismissed the greater funds raised by Paul's campaign, commenting that Means was receiving "10 times more press" than the former Congressman and was therefore "100 times more effective".<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=d1cPAAAAIBAJ&pg=5224,1878387&dq=ron-paul |title=Libertarian delegates hear party candidates debate |newspaper=The Bulletin |location=Bend, OR |date=September 4, 1987 |page=3}}{{Dead link|date=June 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

On September 25, 1988, American psychologist and psychedelic advocate [[Timothy Leary]] held a fundraiser for Paul, who attended the event.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vXq4eZQfOY?t=56m27s Timothy Leary and Robert Anton Wilson.] Los Angeles (1988)
:: "On the 25th of September we're going to have, in the room upstairs, a bone fide candidate for the President of the United States. The Libertarian Party, he's running ... his name is Ron Paul. Many of you are probably closet Libertarians..." ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vXq4eZQfOY?t=56m27s @ 56:27])</ref><ref>Caldwell, Christopher (July 22, 2007). [https://web.archive.org/web/20161116022424/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/magazine/22Paul-t.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all "The Antiwar, Pro-Abortion, Anti-Drug-Enforcement-Administration, Anti-Medicare Candidacy of Dr. Ron Paul."] ''[[New York Times]]''. Archived from [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/magazine/22Paul-t.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all the original.]</ref><ref>[[Nick Gillespie|Gillespie, Nick]] (December 9, 2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20161225010951/https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-ron-paul/2011/12/07/gIQAu3vOiO_print.html "Five Myths About Ron Paul."] ''[[Washington Post]]''. Archived from [https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-ron-paul/2011/12/07/gIQAu3vOiO_print.html the original.]</ref> Journalist Debra Saunders attended and wrote about her experience.<ref>Saunders, Debra. [https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/12/22/ron_paul_turn_on_tune_in_drop_out_112495.html "Ron Paul: Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out."] ''[[Real Clear Politics]]'' (December 22, 2011). Archived from [https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/12/22/ron_paul_turn_on_tune_in_drop_out_112495.html the original.]</ref> In the 1988 presidential election, Paul was on the ballot in 46 states,<ref name="1988nytimes">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/10/17/us/now-for-a-real-underdog-ron-paul-libertarian-for-president.html |title=Now for a Real Underdog: Ron Paul, Libertarian, for President |date=October 17, 1988 |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 21, 2008 |author=Rosenthal, Andrew |url-access=limited}}</ref> scoring third in the popular vote with 432,179 votes (0.5%).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/29/nyregion/1988-vote-the-final-word.html |title=1988 VOTE: The Final Word |date=December 29, 1988 |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 21, 2008 |url-access=limited}}</ref> Paul was kept off the ballot in [[Missouri]], due to what the ''[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]'' termed a "technicality," and received votes there only when written in,<ref name="Dispatch1">{{cite journal |last=Nugent |first=Franklin |date=November 7, 1988 |title=If You Don't Like Bush Or Dukakis ... Libertarian Candidate Offers Common-Sense Policies For America |journal=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |location=St. Louis, MO |page=3C}}</ref> just as he did in [[North Carolina]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?f=0&fips=37&year=1988 |title=1988 Presidential General Election Results – North Carolina |date=November 7, 1988 |work=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections |access-date=March 21, 2014 |author=Leip, Dave |page=1}}</ref>

According to Paul, his presidential campaign was about more than obtaining office; he sought to promote his libertarian ideas, often to school and university groups regardless of vote eligibility. He said, "We're just as interested in the future generation as this election. These kids will vote eventually, and maybe, just maybe, they'll go home and talk to their parents."<ref name="1988nytimes" /> Paul considered running again for president in [[1992 United States presidential election|1992]],<ref>{{cite news |first=John |last=Elvin |date=October 16, 1991 |title=Another Ron |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WT&p_theme=wt&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB0EF5DA54934EB&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120629131025/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WT&p_theme=wt&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB0EF5DA54934EB&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 29, 2012 |work=The Washington Times |access-date=June 25, 2008}}</ref> but instead chose to endorse Republican [[Pat Buchanan]] that year, and served as an adviser to Buchanan's ultimately unsuccessful presidential primary campaign against incumbent President [[George H. W. Bush]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Rothbard |first=Murray |url=https://www.lewrockwell.com/1970/01/murray-n-rothbard/weighing-the-buchanan-factors-ideals-for-the-heartland/ |title=Weighing the Buchanan factors; Ideals for the heartland |work=LewRockwell.com |date=January 10, 1992 |access-date=June 25, 2008}}</ref>

== Later congressional career (1997–2013) ==
[[File:Ron paul.jpg|thumb|upright|An earlier congressional portrait of Paul, {{Circa|1997}}]]
[[File:Paul 65396u (cropped) (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|Paul in his Congressional office, September 1999]]

=== Elections ===
{{further|Texas's 14th congressional district}}

;1996 campaign
During 1996, Paul was re-elected to Congress after a difficult campaign. The [[Republican National Committee]] endorsed incumbent [[Greg Laughlin]] in the primary; Paul won with assistance from baseball pitcher, constituent, and friend [[Nolan Ryan]], tax activist and publisher [[Steve Forbes]]<ref name=ny/> and conservative commentator [[Pat Buchanan]] (the latter two of whom had run in the [[1996 Republican Party presidential primaries]]). Paul narrowly defeated Democratic attorney Charles "Lefty" Morris in the fall election, despite Morris' criticism over controversial statements in several [[Ron Paul newsletters|newsletters that Paul published]].

;1998–2013
In 1998 and 2000, Paul defeated Loy Sneary, a Democratic [[Bay City, Texas]], rice farmer and former [[Matagorda County]] judge.<ref name=drno/>
In the 2008 Republican primary,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/02/09/politics/p092049S41.DTL |title=Paul Vows to Remain a Republican in Race |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |date=February 9, 2007 |access-date=February 12, 2007 |agency=Associated Press |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411131229/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fn%2Fa%2F2008%2F02%2F09%2Fpolitics%2Fp092049S41.DTL |archive-date=April 11, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> he defeated [[Friendswood]] city councilman [[Chris Peden]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/politics/stories/MYSA052207.EN.PAUL.94898f61.html |title=Paul gets primary challenger |author=Martin, Gary |date=May 22, 2007 |access-date=July 11, 2007 |work=[[San Antonio Express-News]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511091000/http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/politics/stories/MYSA052207.EN.PAUL.94898f61.html |archive-date=May 11, 2008}}</ref> with over 70 percent of the vote<ref>{{cite web |url=http://enr.sos.state.tx.us/enr/mar04_135_race4.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080709211901/http://enr.sos.state.tx.us/enr/mar04_135_race4.htm |archive-date=July 9, 2008 |date=March 4, 2008 |access-date=March 5, 2008 |title=2008 Republican Party Primary Election |publisher=[[Texas Secretary of State]]}}</ref> and ran unopposed in the general election.<ref>Gamboa, Suzanne (November 5, 2008) {{cite web |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D948JSCG0.html |title=Olson upends Lampson in closely watched race |access-date=November 5, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208183914/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D948JSCG0.html |archive-date=December 8, 2008}}, Dallas Morning News. Retrieved November 7, 2008.</ref> In the 2010&nbsp;Republican primary, Paul defeated three opponents with 80&nbsp;percent of the vote.<ref>{{cite news |last=Pershing |first=Ben |date=March 3, 2010 |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/03/ron-paul-easily-fends-off-prim.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112123237/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/03/ron-paul-easily-fends-off-prim.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 12, 2012 |title=Ron Paul easily fends off primary challenges |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=July 17, 2010 |url-access=limited}}</ref> On July 12, 2011, Paul announced that he would not seek re-election to the House in order to pursue the [[Ron Paul 2012 presidential campaign|2012 presidential election]].<ref name="free">{{cite news |url=http://detnews.com/article/20110914/POLITICS03/109140373/Ron-Paul-attracts-loyal-following |title=Ron Paul attracts loyal following |work=The Detroit News |access-date=September 14, 2011}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} [http://www.oldhydepark.org/2011/09/13/ron-paul-attracts-loyal-following/ Alt URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140506164416/http://www.oldhydepark.org/2011/09/13/ron-paul-attracts-loyal-following/ |date=May 6, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/07/the-end-of-the-ron-paul-era/241826 |title=The End of the Ron Paul Era? |author=Good, Chris |work=The Atlantic |date=August 5, 2011 |access-date=August 9, 2011 |url-access=limited}}</ref>

=== Tenure ===

;Legislation
{{Main|List of legislation sponsored by Ron Paul}}

Of the 620 bills that Paul had sponsored through December 2011, over a period of more than 22 years in Congress, only one had been signed into law—a lifetime success rate of less than 0.3%.<ref name=WPHR2121>{{cite news |last=Fahrenthold |first=David A. |title=Ron Paul's House Record Marked by Bold Strokes, and Futility |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ron-pauls-house-record-stands-out-for-its-futility-and-tenacity/2011/12/23/gIQA5ioVJP_story.html |access-date=January 30, 2012 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 26, 2011 |url-access=limited}}</ref> The sole measure authored by Paul that was ultimately enacted allowed for a federal customhouse to be sold to a local historic preservation society (H.R. 2121 in 2009).<ref name=WPHR2121/>

[[File: Ron Paul, official Congressional photo portrait, 2007 (1).jpg|thumb|left|2007 congressional portrait]]

By amending other legislation, he helped prohibit funding for [[national identification numbers]], funding for federal teacher certification,<ref name=drno/> [[International Criminal Court]] jurisdiction over the U.S. military, American participation with any U.N. [[Tobin tax|global tax]], and surveillance of peaceful [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]] activities by citizens.<ref>{{cite news |title=Paul says Americans' freedoms under siege |url=https://www.politico.com/news/stories/1007/6277_Page2.html |author=Bresnahan, John |work=[[Politico]] |date=October 10, 2007 |access-date=October 10, 2007}}</ref>

In November 1997, Paul was one of eighteen Republicans in the House to co-sponsor [[1997 impeachment resolution by Bob Barr|a resolution]] by [[Bob Barr]] that sought to launch an [[Impeachment inquiry in the United States|impeachment inquiry]] against President [[Bill Clinton]].<ref name="pace1">{{cite news |last1=Pace |first1=David |title=17 in House seek probe to impeach president |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/498562556 |via=Newspapers.com |newspaper=The Record |agency=The Associated Press |access-date=March 4, 2021 |language=en |date=November 6, 1997 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name="hutcheson"/> The resolution did not specify any charges or allegations.<ref name="hutcheson">{{cite news |last1=Hutcheson |first1=Ron |title=Some House Republicans can't wait for elections |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/197738955 |via=Newspapers.com |newspaper=Asheville Citizen-Times |agency=Knight-Rider Newspapers |language=en |url-access=subscription |date=November 17, 1997}}</ref> This was an early effort to [[Federal impeachment in the United States|impeach]] Clinton, predating the eruption of the [[Clinton–Lewinsky scandal]]. The eruption of that scandal would ultimately lead to a more serious effort to impeach Clinton in 1998.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Barkham |first1=Patrick |title=Clinton impeachment timeline |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/1998/nov/18/clinton.usa |website=The Guardian |access-date=March 6, 2021 |language=en |date=November 18, 1998}}</ref> On October 8, 1998, Paul voted in favor of legislation that was passed to open [[Impeachment inquiry against Bill Clinton|an impeachment inquiry]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Roll Call 498 Roll Call 498, Bill Number: H. Res. 581, 105th Congress, 2nd Session |url=https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/1998498 |website=clerk.house.gov |publisher=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives |access-date=March 1, 2021 |language=en |date=October 8, 1998}}</ref> [[Impeachment of Bill Clinton|On December 19, 1998]], Paul voted in favor of all four proposed [[articles of impeachment]] against Clinton (only two of which received the needed majority of votes to be adopted).<ref>{{cite web |title=Roll Call 546 Roll Call 546, Bill Number: H. Res. 611, 105th Congress, 2nd Session |url=https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/1998546 |website=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives |access-date=March 6, 2021 |language=en |date=December 19, 1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Roll Call 545 Roll Call 545, Bill Number: H. Res. 611, 105th Congress, 2nd Session |url=https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/1998545 |website=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives |access-date=March 6, 2021 |language=en |date=December 19, 1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Roll Call 544 Roll Call 544, Bill Number: H. Res. 611, 105th Congress, 2nd Session |url=https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/1998544 |website=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives |access-date=March 6, 2021 |language=en |date=December 19, 1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Washington |first1=U. S. Capitol Room H154 |last2=p:225-7000 |first2=DC 20515-6601 |title=Roll Call 543 Roll Call 543, Bill Number: H. Res. 611, 105th Congress, 2nd Session |url=https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/1998543 |website=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives |access-date=March 6, 2021 |language=en |date=December 19, 1998}}</ref> Two days prior, on December 16, Paul had stated that he would vote to impeach based on Clinton's military attacks in the Middle East, namely the [[1998 bombing of Iraq]] and [[Operation Infinite Reach]], and not necessarily the Lewinsky scandal, which he described as far less serious than the "unconstitutionality of presidents waging wars".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?116695-1/situation-iraq-impeachment |title=Situation in Iraq and Impeachment &#124; C-SPAN.org |website=www.c-span.org}}</ref>

In June 2005, he was the sole congressperson to vote against H.Res.199,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Roll Call 322 {{!}} Bill Number: H. Res. 199 |url=https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2005322 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240926193519/https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2005322 |archive-date=2024-09-26 |website=US House Of Representatives}}</ref> to commemorate and condemn the [[Srebrenica massacre]] and the [[Bosnian genocide]] during the [[breakup of Yugoslavia]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Congressional Record. (2025, November 17)|url=https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/volume-151/issue-87/house-section/article/H5209-1}}</ref>

;Affiliations
Paul was honorary chairman of, and is a member of the [[Republican Liberty Caucus]], a political action committee that describes its goal as electing "liberty-minded, limited-government individuals".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rlc.org/?p=FAQ |title=Frequently Asked Questions |year=2002 |access-date=March 17, 2007 |publisher=[[Republican Liberty Caucus]]}}</ref> He is an initiating member of the [[Congressional Rural Caucus]], which deals with agricultural and rural issues, and the 140-member [[Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.refugenet.org/New-issues/refugecaucus.html |title=The Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus |publisher=[[National Wildlife Refuge]] Association |date=January 15, 2008 |access-date=February 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071228110238/http://www.refugenet.org/New-issues/refugecaucus.html <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archive-date=December 28, 2007}}</ref>

=== Committee assignments ===
Paul served on the following committees and subcommittees.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.house.gov/paul/bio.shtml |title=Who is Ron Paul? |access-date=September 27, 2007 |publisher=[[U.S. House of Representatives]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070924205837/http://www.house.gov/paul/bio.shtml |archive-date=September 24, 2007}}</ref>
* [[United States House Committee on Financial Services|Committee on Financial Services]]
** [[United States House Financial Services Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology|Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology]] (chairman)
** [[United States House Financial Services Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade|Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade]]
* [[United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs|Committee on Foreign Affairs]]
** [[United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations|Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations]]

With the election of the [[112th United States Congress|112th Congress]], and a resulting [[Republican Party (United States)|GOP]] majority in the [[United States House of Representatives|House]], Paul became the chairman of the [[United States House Financial Services Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology|Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology]] starting in January 2011.<ref name=ronpaul01216>{{cite news |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/12/16/qa-ron-paul-on-his-new-perch-to-fight-the-fed/?KEYWORDS=News+Ron+Paul |author=Sudeep Reddy |date=December 16, 2010 |title=Q&A: Ron Paul on His New Perch |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=February 23, 2011 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Paul's congressional career ended on January 3, 2013, with the swearing in of the [[113th United States Congress|113th Congress]].

== 2008 presidential campaign ==
<!--Before editing this summary section, please review WP: MOSBIO and WP:SUMMARY, and search the Talk page for recent discussion. Only major developments and events should appear in this section, which should remain brief. All other material should be added to the separate article "Ron Paul presidential campaign, 2008". Avoid giving undue mention of third parties commenting on Paul's campaign (polls, blogs, etc.) rather than facts about the campaign itself.-->
{{Main|Ron Paul 2008 presidential campaign}}

{{See also|2008 Republican Party presidential primaries}}

=== 2008 Republican primary campaign ===
[[File:RonPaul-June07-NHdebate.jpg|thumb|Paul campaigning for president in [[Manchester, New Hampshire]], June 2007]]
[[File:RonPaulSupporters-DurhamNHdebate-5sept07.JPG|thumb|right|Supporters outside of the Fox News debate in September 2007]]
Paul formally declared his candidacy for the [[2008 Republican nomination]] on March 12, 2007, on [[C-SPAN]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA031207.paul2008.EN.74141d9.html |title=Paul formally launches presidential bid |author=Martin, Gary |work=[[San Antonio Express-News]] |date=March 12, 2007 |access-date=March 13, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205085934/http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA031207.paul2008.EN.74141d9.html |archive-date=December 5, 2008}}</ref> Few major politicians endorsed him, and his campaign was largely ignored by traditional media.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blip.tv/paul-levinson-on-media-writing-science-fiction-and-freedom/ron-paul-s-mistreatment-by-mass-media-paul-levinson-talks-to-his-class-at-fordham-univ-452159 |title=Ron Paul's Mistreatment by Mass Media |date=October 26, 2007 |work=Blip.tv |access-date=December 21, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118073935/http://blip.tv/paul-levinson-on-media-writing-science-fiction-and-freedom/ron-paul-s-mistreatment-by-mass-media-paul-levinson-talks-to-his-class-at-fordham-univ-452159 |archive-date=January 18, 2012}}</ref> However, he attracted an intensely loyal grassroots following,<ref name=NYTSeelye07>{{cite journal |last=Seelye |first=Katherine Q. |author2=Wayne, Leslie |title=The Web Takes Ron Paul for a Ride |journal=The New York Times |date=November 11, 2007 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/us/politics/11paul.html |access-date=February 27, 2012 |url-access=limited}}</ref> interacting through internet social media.<ref name=RPdigg>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/blogs/news-desk/2007/5/9/ron-pauls-online-rise.html |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |title=Ron Paul's Online Rise |date=May 9, 2007 |access-date=December 3, 2007 |first=Chris|last=Wilson}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Story?id=3147940 |title=The Ron Paul Effect |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |first=Rick|last=Klein |date=May 5, 2007 |access-date=February 13, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Tom|last=Englehardt |date=July 23, 2007 |url=http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070730/engelhardt |title=Why the U.S. Military Loves Ron Paul |work=[[the Nation]] |access-date=February 13, 2008 |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090630152444/http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070730/engelhardt |archive-date=June 30, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In May 2007, shortly after the first televised primary debates, the blogs search engine site [[Technorati]].com listed Paul's name as the term most frequently searched for;<ref name=RPdigg/> and Paul's campaign claimed that Paul had more [[YouTube]] channel subscribers than [[Barack Obama]] or any other candidate for president.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://ronpaul2008.typepad.com/ron_paul_2008/2007/05/paul_1_obama_2.html |title=Paul #1, Obama #2 |date=May 20, 2007 |access-date=September 27, 2007 |publisher=[[Ron Paul 2008]]}}</ref> Paul fundraised more money than any other Republican candidate in the fourth quarter of 2007, as the primary season headed into the Iowa caucuses.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/07/ron-paul-tops-m.html |title=Ron Paul Tops McCain in Cash on Hand |access-date=July 7, 2007 |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |date=July 6, 2007 |author-link=George Stephanopoulos |last=Stephanopoulos |first=George |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930200959/http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/07/ron-paul-tops-m.html |archive-date=September 30, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/02/news-shocker-ro.html |title=News shocker: Ron Paul was biggest GOP fundraiser last quarter |author=Malcolm, Andrew |date=February 1, 2008 |access-date=February 13, 2008 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url-access=limited}}</ref>

Despite benefiting from campaign contributions from individual donors,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/summary.asp?id=N00005906&cycle=2008 |title=Ron Paul Campaign Money |access-date=February 13, 2008 |work=[[OpenSecrets]] |department=Race for the White House |date=February 1, 2008 |archive-date=February 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080213082956/http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/summary.asp?id=N00005906&cycle=2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and the supporters determined to keep his name a frequent topic of discussion on the internet,<ref name=RPdigg/> over the course of the campaign Paul was unable to translate the enthusiasm of his core supporters into large enough numbers of actual primary votes to unseat his rivals. Paul came in 5th place in both the January 4 [[Iowa caucuses]] (10% of votes cast)<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Johnson |first1=Craig |first2=James E. |last2=Wilkerson |title=Republican Caucus History |journal=Des Moines Register |url=http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/data/iowa-caucus/caucus-history-gop/ |access-date=February 27, 2012 |archive-date=July 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707140142/http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/data/iowa-caucus/caucus-history-gop/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> and the January 8 New Hampshire primary (8%).<ref>{{cite web |title=Presidential Primary Election January 8, 2008 |url=http://www.sos.nh.gov/presprim2008/rpressum.htm |work=New Hampshire Secretary of State |access-date=January 11, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706124227/http://www.sos.nh.gov/presprim2008/rpressum.htm |archive-date=July 6, 2008}}</ref> With the exception of the Nevada caucuses January 19, where he came in 2nd (14%) behind [[Mitt Romney]] (51%), he did little better through the rest of January: Michigan 4th (6%), South Carolina 5th (4%), Florida 5th (3%). On Super Tuesday, February 5, he placed 4th in almost every state, generally taking in a mere 3–6% of the votes although he did better in the northern states of North Dakota (21%, 3rd place) and Montana (25%, 2nd place).<ref>{{cite news |title=2008 Primary Season Election Results |url=http://politics.nytimes.com/election-guide/2008/results/votes/index.html |access-date=February 27, 2012 |newspaper=The New York Times |url-access=limited}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=CNN Politics: Election Center 2008 |url=http://edition.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/dates/index.html#val=20080205 |website=[[CNN]] |access-date=February 27, 2012}}</ref>

By March, front-runner [[John McCain]] had secured enough pledged delegates to guarantee that he would win the nomination, and Romney and [[Mike Huckabee]] had both formally withdrawn from the race. Paul, who had won no state primaries, knew that it was now impossible for him to win the nomination, as he had captured only 20<ref>{{cite news |last=Hume |first=Brit |authorlink=Brit Hume |title=Fox News Channel Special Report with Brit Hume |newspaper=[[Fox News]] |date=March 5, 2008}}</ref>—40 pledged delegates compared to more than 1,191 for McCain, yet he refused to concede the race and said that it was unlikely that he would ultimately endorse McCain.<ref name=ElkinsBeast>{{cite news |last=Elkins |first=Sarah |title={{-'}}I Feel Badly about Just Quitting': Ron Paul on Why He's Still Running for President |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2008/03/19/i-feel-badly-about-just-quitting.html |access-date=February 27, 2012 |newspaper=[[The Daily Beast]] |date=March 19, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Malcolm |first=Andrew |title=Ron Paul Lives! |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/03/ronpauldennisku.html |access-date=February 27, 2012 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=March 5, 2008 |url-access=limited}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Paul Says He's Still in the Race to 'Influence Ideas' |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/10/paul.campaign/index.html |access-date=February 27, 2012 |newspaper=CNN.com |date=March 10, 2008}}</ref> Over the next few weeks, Paul's supporters clashed with establishment Republicans at several county and state party conventions over state party rules, the party platforms, and selection of delegates for the national convention.<ref>{{cite news |agency=Los Angeles Times |title=Paul Backers Claim Chunk of State Party |newspaper=[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]] |date=March 24, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Mannies |first=Jo |title=Ron Paul's Missouri Backers Muscle Up: They Say Caucus Strategy was to Get GOP to Return to Roots |newspaper=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]] |date=March 18, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=von Sternberg |first=Bob |author2=Duchschere, Kevin |title=Paul Backers Manage to Nab Delegates—in Minnesota and Elsewhere, Their Tactics Raised Eyebrows, but They're Hoping to Earn Him Stage Time at the GOP National Convention |work=[[Star Tribune]] |date=April 8, 2008 |page=1B}}</ref> In one instance, Nevada's state party leaders in response to Paul's supporters at the state nominating convention, resorted to prematurely shutting down the convention before selecting national delegates, with a plan to reconvene at a later date.<ref>{{cite news |last=Coolican |first=J. Patrick |title=Ron Paul Campaign Dominates Convention: Meeting Reveals a Party, in This State at Least, Far from United |url=http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/apr/27/ron-paul-campaign-dominates-convention/ |access-date=February 27, 2012 |newspaper=Las Vegas Sun |date=April 12, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |agency=[[Associated Press]] |title=Ron Paul Backers Outmaneuver Nevada GOP Establishment |url=http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/18315884.html |access-date=February 27, 2012 |publisher=KOLO-TV |date=April 28, 2008 |archive-date=February 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120215010543/http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/18315884.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>

On June 12, 2008, Paul withdrew his bid for the Republican nomination. He later said that one of the reasons he did not run in the general election as a third-party candidate, after losing the primaries, was that, as a concession to gain ballot access in certain states, he had signed legally binding agreements to not run a third-party campaign if he lost the primary.<ref>{{cite news |last=Dubner |first=Stephen J. |title=Ron Paul Answers Your Questions: Part One |url=http://www.freakonomics.com/2008/11/14/ron-paul-answers-your-questions-part-one/ |access-date=February 2, 2012 |newspaper=[[Freakonomics.com]] |date=November 14, 2008}}</ref> Some of the $4 million remaining campaign contributions was invested into the political action and advocacy group called [[Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/06/13/paul-suspends-presidential-campaign-forms-new-organization/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120525191140/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/06/13/paul-suspends-presidential-campaign-forms-new-organization/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 25, 2012 |title=Paul suspends presidential campaign; forms new organization |website=[[CNN]] |date=June 12, 2008 |access-date=July 25, 2008}}</ref>

=== Endorsement after ending campaign ===
[[Image:Rally for the Republic.jpg|thumb|left|Paul's ''[[Rally for the Republic]]'', held in Minneapolis, Minnesota on September 2, 2008]]
At a September 10, 2008, press conference, Paul announced his general support of four third-party candidates: [[Cynthia McKinney]] ([[Green Party of the United States|Green Party]]); [[Bob Barr]] ([[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]]); [[Chuck Baldwin]] ([[Constitution Party (United States)|Constitution Party]]); and [[Ralph Nader]] (independent). He said that each of them had pledged to adhere to a policy of balancing budgets, bringing the troops home, defending privacy and personal liberties, and investigating the Federal Reserve. Paul also said that under no circumstances would he be endorsing either of the two main parties' candidates (McCain—Republican Party, or Obama—Democratic Party) because there were no real differences between them, and because neither of them, if elected, would seek to make the fundamental changes in governance that were necessary. He urged instead that, rather than contribute to the "charade" that the two-party election system had become, the voters support the third-party candidates as a protest vote, to force change in the election process.<ref>{{cite news |date=September 10, 2008 |url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/10/paul.endorsement/ |title=Ron Paul urges voters to skip McCain, Obama |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408202249/http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/10/paul.endorsement/ |archive-date=April 8, 2016 |work=CNN |access-date=September 10, 2008}}</ref><ref name="kugel">{{cite news |title=Ron Paul: Washington's True Maverick Talks Bailouts, the United States Constitution and Re-Making the US Dollar |first=Allison |last=Kugel |url=http://www.pr.com/article/1110 |newspaper=PR.com |date=October 15, 2008 |access-date=June 16, 2011}}</ref> Later that same day, Paul gave a televised interview with Nader saying much the same again.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ron Paul & Ralph Nader interview by Wolf Blitzer |url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0809/10/sitroom.01.html |access-date=February 27, 2012 |publisher=CNN |date=September 10, 2008}}</ref>

Two weeks later, "shocked and disappointed" that [[Bob Barr]] (the Libertarian nominee) had pulled out of attending the press conference at the last minute and had admonished Paul for remaining neutral and failing to say which specific candidate Paul would vote for in the general election, Paul released a statement saying that he had decided to endorse [[Chuck Baldwin]], the [[Constitution Party (United States)|Constitution Party]] candidate, for president.<ref name="campaignforliberty1">{{cite web |url=http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=547#. |title=A New Alliance |author=Paul, Ron |date=September 22, 2008 |access-date=September 22, 2008 |publisher=[[Campaign for Liberty]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081212045449/http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=547 |archive-date=December 12, 2008}}</ref> Paul withdrew from active campaigning in the last weeks of the primary election period. He received 42,426 votes, or 0.03% of the total cast, in the general election.<ref>{{cite web |title=2008 Official Presidential General Election Results |url=http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe2008/2008presgeresults.pdf |publisher=U.S. Federal Election Commission |date=January 22, 2009}}</ref>

== 2012 presidential campaign ==
{{Main|Ron Paul 2012 presidential campaign}}

{{See also|2012 Republican Party presidential primaries}}

=== 2012 Republican primary campaign ===
[[File:Ron Paul WRLC.jpg|thumb|Paul speaking at the Western Republican Leadership Conference in [[Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]], in October 2011]]
Paul won several early straw polls for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ron-paul-and-herman-cain-lead-the-pack-in-tea-party-patriots-straw-poll/ |title=Ron Paul and Herman Cain lead the pack in Tea Party Patriots straw poll |work=CBS News |date=February 28, 2011 |access-date=April 5, 2011 |first=Lucy |last=Madison}}</ref> and formed an official exploratory committee in late April 2011.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna42770196 |title=Ron Paul kicks off exploratory committee for 2012 bid |work=NBC News |date=April 26, 2011 |access-date=April 26, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/gop-presidential-primary/89587-ron-paul-takes-step-toward-2012-bid-final-decision-next-month/ |title=Ron Paul officially announces 2012 presidential exploratory committee |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408202320/http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/gop-presidential-primary/157817-ron-paul-officially-announces-2012-exploratory-committee |archive-date=April 8, 2016 |work=The Hill |date=April 26, 2011 |url-status=live |access-date=April 26, 2011}}</ref> He participated in the first Republican presidential debate on May 5, 2011<ref name=election-news>{{cite web |url=http://uselectionnews.org/foxsc-debate-features-just-5-of-2012-gop/853203 |title=FOX/SC Debate Features Just 5 of 2012 GOP |author=Taylor, Alexandra |date=May 5, 2011 |access-date=May 5, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110509004035/http://uselectionnews.org/foxsc-debate-features-just-5-of-2012-gop/853203/ |archive-date=May 9, 2011}}</ref> and on May 13, 2011, formally announced his candidacy in an interview on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s ''[[Good Morning America]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/13/breaking-rep-ron-paul-announces-third-bid-for-presidency/ |title=Rep. Ron Paul announces candidacy for president |work=CNN |date=May 13, 2011 |access-date=May 13, 2011 |archive-date=September 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922053730/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/13/breaking-rep-ron-paul-announces-third-bid-for-presidency/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> He placed second in the 2011 [[Ames Straw Poll]], missing first by 0.9%.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bachmann Wins Ames Straw Poll, Ron Paul in Close Second |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/michele-bachmann-wins-ames-straw-poll-ron-paul/story?id=14298827 |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |date=August 13, 2011 |first1=Michael |last1=Falcone |first2=Amy |last2=Walter |first3=Matthew |last3=Jaffe |first4=Jason |last4=Volack |access-date=August 14, 2011}}</ref> Paul indicated in a June 2011 interview that if nominated, he would consider former New Jersey Superior Court judge [[Andrew Napolitano]] as his running mate.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ron Paul's VP Prospect? |url=https://www.thestreet.com/politics/ron-pauls-vp-propsect-11157087 |work=TheStreet |date=June 17, 2011 |first=Alex |last=Steel}}</ref>

In December 2011, with Paul's increased support, the controversy over racist and homophobic statements in several [[Ron Paul newsletters]] in the 1980s and early 1990s once again gained media attention.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/20/us/politics/bias-in-ron-pauls-newsletters-draws-new-attention.html |title=New Focus on Incendiary Words in Paul's Newsletters |work=The New York Times |date=December 20, 2011 |last1=Rutenberg |first1=Jim |last2=Oppel |first2=Richard A. Jr. |url-access=limited}}</ref> During this time Paul supporters asserted that he was continually ignored by the media despite his significant support, citing examples of where television news shows would fail to mention Paul in discussions of the Republican presidential hopefuls even when he was polling second.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ron |last=Smith |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2011/08/18/ron-paul-aka-the-invisible-candidate-3/ |title=Ron Paul, aka the invisible candidate |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418181938/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-08-18/news/bs-ed-smith-20110818_1_herman-cain-invisible-candidate-gop-presidential-debate |archive-date=April 18, 2016 |url-status=live |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Bruce |last=Ramsey |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/edcetera/2015926924_post.html |title=Ron Paul Ignored |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111019071706/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/edcetera/2015926924_post.html |archive-date=October 19, 2011 |work=[[The Seattle Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Frank |last=James |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2011/08/16/139669952/ron-paul-wears-invisibility-cloak-in-medias-eyes?t=1561471109486 |title=Ron Paul Wears Invisibility Cloak In News Media's Eyes |publisher=NPR}}</ref>

====Iowa====
Ron Paul's presidential campaign managers [[Jesse Benton]], John Tate and Demetri Kesari were all found guilty of paying former Iowa state senator [[Kent Sorenson]] $73,000 to switch his support from Rep. [[Michele Bachmann]] to Paul.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.apnews.com/b7d508267328424d8822b83cce7375ac |date=May 11, 2018 |title=Court upholds convictions of 2012 Ron Paul campaign staffers |first=David |last=Pitt |work=Associated Press}}</ref> In court papers filed in August 2014, Sorenson said that he had been paid by both presidential campaigns for his endorsement and pled guilty to criminal charges stemming from the incident.<ref>{{cite news |first=Matea |last=Gold |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/08/27/former-iowa-state-senator-pleads-guilty-in-ron-paul-endorsement-for-pay-scheme/ |title=Former Iowa state senator pleads guilty in Ron Paul endorsement-for-pay scheme |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=August 27, 2014 |date=August 27, 2014 |url-access=limited}}</ref>

Paul came in third in the [[Iowa Republican caucuses, 2012|Iowa Republican Caucus]] held on January 3, 2012. Out of a turnout of 121,503 votes, Paul took 26,036 (21%) of the certified votes. [[Rick Santorum]] and [[Mitt Romney]] finished in a virtual tie for first place with 25% each,<ref>{{cite news |last=Jacobs |first=Jennifer |title=2012 GOP Caucus Count Unresolved |url=http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2012/01/19/register-exclusive-2012-gop-caucus-count-unresolved |access-date=January 21, 2012 |newspaper=Des Moines Register |date=January 12, 2012 |archive-date=January 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20120121155426/http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2012/01/19/register-exclusive-2012-gop-caucus-count-unresolved/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> although Ron Paul had ultimately won<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2012/primaries/states/iowa.html |title=Iowa Republican Caucuses |work=The New York Times |url-access=limited}}</ref> Iowa at the [[Republican National Convention]] gathering 22 delegates to Mitt Romney's 5. In the [[2012 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary|New Hampshire primary]] held on January 10, 2012, Paul received 23% of the votes and came in second after Romney's 39%.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Hampshire – Summary Vote Results |url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2012/by_state/NH_Page_0110.html?SITE=AP&SECTION=POLITICS |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=January 11, 2012 |access-date=January 11, 2012}}</ref>

====South Carolina, Florida, and Nevada====
[[File:Ron Paul Support Sign Ann Arbor Michigan.JPG|thumb|Sign in support of Paul in [[Ann Arbor, Michigan]] on the day of the 2012 Michigan primary]]
Paul's results then declined, despite the withdrawal of candidates [[Michele Bachmann]], [[Jon Huntsman Jr.|Jon Huntsman]] and [[Rick Perry]]. He had fourth-place finishes in the next two primaries, on January 21 in South Carolina (with 13% of the vote)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.news4jax.com/election-2012/Gingrich-wins-South-Carolina-GOP-primary-CNN-projects-Romney-second/-/1875986/8481832/-/n89pf/-/ |title=Gingrich Wins SC GOP Primary; Romney Second |work=News4Jax.com |author=<!--CNN Wire Staff--> |date=January 21, 2012 |access-date=January 22, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510051941/http://www.news4jax.com/election-2012/Gingrich-wins-South-Carolina-GOP-primary-CNN-projects-Romney-second/-/1875986/8481832/-/n89pf/-/ |archive-date=May 10, 2012}}</ref> and on January 31 in Florida (where he received 7% of the vote).<ref name="FLEW">{{cite web |url=http://enight.elections.myflorida.com/ |title=Florida Election Watch |publisher=Florida Department of State: Division of Elections |access-date=February 1, 2012 |archive-date=February 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201185718/http://enight.elections.myflorida.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Vote by COUNTY">{{cite web |url=http://enight.elections.myflorida.com/Default5.aspx |title=Florida Election Watch: Candidate County Reporting |publisher=Florida Department of State: Division of Elections |access-date=February 1, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201194104/http://enight.elections.myflorida.com/Default5.aspx |archive-date=February 1, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Google Politics & Elections |url=https://www.google.com/elections/ed/us/results/2012/gop-primary/fl |date=January 31, 2012 |access-date=January 31, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201192936/https://www.google.com/elections/ed/us/results/2012/gop-primary/fl |archive-date=February 1, 2012}}</ref>

On February 4, Paul finished third in Nevada with 18.8% of the vote.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2012-02-04/republican-nevada-caucus/52957864/1 |title=Mitt Romney wins Nevada GOP caucuses |work=USA Today |access-date=February 5, 2012 |date=February 5, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208164746/https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2012-02-04/republican-nevada-caucus/52957864/1|archive-date=February 8, 2012|author-first1=William M. |author-last1=Welch}}</ref> Three non-binding primaries were held on February 7; Paul took 3rd place in Colorado<ref name="CO2012">{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2012/colorado-caucuses-feb-7/ |title=2012 Colorado Caucuses |publisher=Fox News |date=October 1, 2006 |access-date=March 10, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121116183940/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2012/colorado-caucuses-feb-7 |archive-date=November 16, 2012}}</ref> and Missouri<ref name="MO2012">{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2012/missouri-primary-feb-7/ |title=2012 Missouri Primary |publisher=Fox News |date=October 1, 2006 |access-date=March 10, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121116195113/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2012/missouri-primary-feb-7 |archive-date=November 16, 2012}}</ref> with 13% and 12% of the vote, respectively. He fared better in Minnesota<ref name="MN2012">{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2012/minnesota-caucuses-feb-7/ |title=2012 Minnesota Caucuses |publisher=Fox News |date=October 1, 2006 |access-date=March 10, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115130054/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2012/minnesota-caucuses-feb-7 |archive-date=November 15, 2012}}</ref> with 27%, finishing second to [[Rick Santorum]]. On May 14, Paul's campaign announced that due to lack of funds (though despite financial backing from financiers [[Peter Thiel]] and [[Mark Spitznagel]])<ref>{{cite news |last=DeBord |first=Matthew |title=Meet Mark Spitznagel, Ron Paul's L.A. hedge-fund guy |url=http://www.scpr.org/blogs/economy/2012/03/05/4955/meet-mark-spitznagel-ron-pauls-l-hedge-fund-guy/ |access-date=April 10, 2015 |newspaper=KPCC |date=March 5, 2012 |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924095533/http://www.scpr.org/blogs/economy/2012/03/05/4955/meet-mark-spitznagel-ron-pauls-l-hedge-fund-guy/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> he would no longer actively campaign for votes in the 11 remaining primary states, including Texas and California, that had not yet voted.<ref name="washingtontimes05142012" /><ref name="ABC0514">{{cite news |last=Good |first=Chris |title=Ron Paul to Stop Campaigning in New States |url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/05/ron-paul-to-stop-campaigning-in-new-states/ |access-date=May 14, 2012 |newspaper=ABC News |date=May 14, 2012}}</ref> He would, however, continue to seek to win delegates for the national party convention in the states that had already voted.

====Alleged irregularities====
In June, a group of 132 supporters of Paul, demanding the freedom as delegates to the upcoming Republican Party National Convention to cast votes for Paul, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against the [[Republican National Committee]] and 55 state and territorial Republican party organizations for allegedly coercing delegates to choose [[Mitt Romney]] as the party's presidential nominee.<ref name=NJsuit>{{cite news |last=Roth |first=Caroline |title=RNC Faces Suit from Paul Backers |url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/rnc-faces-suit-from-paul-backers-20120619 |access-date=June 19, 2012 |newspaper=National Journal |date=June 19, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619210645/http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/rnc-faces-suit-from-paul-backers-20120619 |archive-date=June 19, 2012}}</ref> The suit alleged that there had been "a systematic campaign of [[election fraud]] at state conventions", employing rigging of voting machines, ballot stuffing, and falsification of ballot totals. The suit further pointed to incidents at state conventions, including acts of violence and changes in procedural rules, allegedly intended to deny participation of Paul supporters in the party decision-making and to prevent votes from being cast for Paul. An attorney representing the complainants said that Paul campaign advisor [[Doug Wead]] had voiced support for the legal action.<ref name="NJsuit"/> Paul himself told [[CNN]] that although the lawsuit was not a part of his campaign's strategy and that he had not been advising his supporters to sue, he was not going to tell his supporters not to sue, if they had a legitimate argument. He said, "If they're not following the rules, you have a right to stand up for the rules. I think for the most part these winning caucuses that we've been involved in we have followed the rules. And the other side has at times not followed the rules."<ref name=CNNsuit>{{cite news |title=Ron Paul interview with Wolf Blitzer |url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1206/19/sitroom.01.html |access-date=June 19, 2012 |newspaper=CNN (The Situation Room) |date=June 19, 2012}}</ref>

=== Republican National convention ===
Paul declined to speak at the Republican National Convention as a matter of principle, saying that the convention planners had demanded that his remarks be vetted by the Romney campaign and that he make an unqualified endorsement of Romney.<ref name=nytspeech>{{cite news |last=Harwood |first=John |title=Libertarian legion stands ready to accept torch from Paul |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/us/politics/ron-paul-passing-torch-to-a-libertarian-legion.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 25, 2012 |url-access=limited}}</ref> Paul had felt that "It wouldn't be my speech... That would undo everything I've done in the last 30 years. I don't fully endorse him for president."<ref name=nytspeech/> Many of Paul's supporters and delegates walked out of the convention in protest over rules adopted by the convention that reduced their delegate count and that would make it harder for non-establishment candidates to win the party's nomination in future elections.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mehta |first=Seema |title=Ron Paul supporters walk out of GOP convention |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2012-aug-28-la-pn-ron-paul-supporters-walk-out-of-gop-convention-20120828-story.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=August 28, 2012 |url-access=limited}}</ref> Supporters and media commentators had noted that the delegations from states where Paul had had the most support were given the worst seats in the convention hall, while delegations from regions with no electoral votes, such as the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico, were given prime seats at the front.<ref>{{cite news |last=Friess |first=Steve |title=Ron Paul delegates get nosebleed seats |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2012/08/paul-delegates-get-nosebleed-seats-080168 |newspaper=Politico |date=August 26, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Dunham |first=Richard |title=Ron Paul delegates get worse seats than Republicans from Guam, Samoa |url=http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2012/08/ron-paul-delegates-get-worse-seats-than-republicans-from-guam-samoa/ |newspaper=Houston Chronicle |date=August 27, 2012}}</ref>

=== Endorsement after ending campaign ===
As in 2008, Paul ultimately refused to endorse the ticket selected by the Republican Party in 2012. He said that there was no essential difference between Romney and his Democratic opponent, President Obama, on the most critical policies: "I've been in this business a long time and believe me there is essentially no difference from one administration to another no matter what the platforms... The foreign policy stays the same, the monetary policy stays the same, there's no proposal for any real cuts and both parties support it."<ref>{{cite news |last=David |first=Javier |title=Ron Paul won't endorse Romney, cites more of the same |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2012/10/11/ron-paul-wont-endorse-romney-cites-more-of-same.html |newspaper=CNBC |date=October 11, 2012}}</ref> Paul received 26,204 write-in votes, or 0.02% of the total cast in the election.<ref>{{cite web |title=2012 presidential election results state by state |url=http://www.thegreenpapers.com/G12/President-Details.phtml?n=PAUL,RONALDERON |work=The Green Papers |date=November 11, 2012}}</ref>

== Political party identification ==
Throughout his entire tenure in Congress, Paul has represented his district as a member of the Republican Party; however, he has frequently taken positions in direct opposition to the other members and the leadership of the party, and he has sometimes publicly questioned whether he really belonged in the party. Paul voted for [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] for president in 1956 when he was 21 years old.<ref name="DearFrank">[[s:Ron Paul's 1987 Resignation Letter to the RNC]]</ref> He had been a lifelong supporter of the Republican Party by the time he entered politics in the mid-1970s.<ref name="DearFrank" /> He was one of the first elected officials in the nation to support [[Ronald Reagan]]'s presidential campaign,<ref name="SFC88">{{cite journal |last=Roberts |first=Jerry |title=Libertarian Candidate Rolls Out His Values |journal=San Francisco Chronicle |date=September 17, 1988}}</ref> and he actively campaigned for Reagan in 1976 and 1980.<ref name="DMN87">{{cite journal |last=Nichols |first=Bruce |title=Ron Paul Wants to Get Americans Thinking: Republican-Turned-Libertarian Seeks Presidency |journal=The Dallas Morning News |date=March 15, 1987}}</ref> After Reagan's election in 1980, Paul quickly became disillusioned with the Reagan administration's policies. He later recalled being the only Republican to vote against Reagan budget proposals in 1981,<ref name="SJMN88">{{cite journal |last=Kutzmann |first=David M. |title=Small Party Battles Big Government Libertarian Candidate Opposes Intrusion into Private Lives |journal=San Jose Mercury News |date=May 24, 1988 |page=12A}}</ref><ref name="LAT88">{{cite journal |last=Kennedy |first=J. Michael |title=Politics 88: Hopeless Presidential Race: Libertarian Plods On – Alone and Unheard |journal=Los Angeles Times |date=May 10, 1988 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-05-10-mn-2480-story.html |access-date=January 31, 2012 |url-access=limited}}</ref> aghast that "in 1977, [[Jimmy Carter]] proposed a budget with a $38 billion deficit, and every Republican in the House voted against it. In 1981, Reagan proposed a budget with a $45 billion deficit—which turned out to be $113 billion—and Republicans were cheering his great victory. They were living in a storybook land."<ref name="SFC88" /> He expressed his disgust with the political culture of both major parties in a speech delivered in 1984 upon resigning from the House of Representatives to prepare for a (failed) run for the Senate, and he eventually apologized to his libertarian friends for having supported Reagan.<ref name="SJMN88" />

{{Wikisource|Ron Paul's 1987 Resignation Letter to the RNC}}
By 1987, Paul was ready to sever all ties to the Republican Party, as he explained in a blistering resignation letter: "Since [1981] Ronald Reagan and the Republican Party have given us skyrocketing deficits, and astoundingly a doubled national debt. How is it that the party of balanced budgets, with control of the White House and Senate, accumulated red ink greater than all previous administrations put together? ... There is no credibility left for the Republican Party as a force to reduce the size of government. That is the message of the Reagan years."<ref name=DearFrank/><ref name=DMN87/> A month later, he announced he would seek the 1988 Libertarian Party nomination for president. During the 1988 campaign, Paul called Reagan "a dramatic failure"<ref name="DMN87" /> and complained that "Reagan's record is disgraceful. He starts wars, breaks the law, supplies terrorists with guns made at taxpayers' expense and lies about it to the American people."<ref name="PI87">{{cite journal |last=Paolanonio |first=S.A. |title=Libertarian Seeks Presidency Third Party Tries a 5th Campaign |journal=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=September 13, 1987 |page=E02}}</ref> Paul predicted that "the Republicans are on their way out as a major party,"<ref name="SJMN88" /> and he said that, although registered as a Republican, he had always been a libertarian at heart.<ref name="SJMN88" /><ref name="LAT88" />

Paul returned to his private medical practice and managing several business ventures after losing the 1988 election; but by 1996, he was ready to return to politics, this time running on the Republican Party ticket again. He said that he had never read the entire Libertarian platform when he ran for president as a Libertarian in 1988, and that "I worked for the Libertarians on my terms, not theirs."<ref name="chron96">{{cite journal |last=Robison |first=Clay |title=Campaign 96/U.S. House/Paul Favors Repealing Federal Anti-Drug Laws |journal=Houston Chronicle |date=February 15, 1996}}</ref> He added that in terms of a political label he preferred to call himself "a constitutionalist. In Congress I took an oath to uphold the Constitution, not the (Republican) platform."<ref name="chron96" /> When he lost the Republican Party presidential primary election in 2008, Paul criticized the two major political parties, saying that there was no real difference between the parties and that neither of them truly intended to challenge the status quo. He refused to endorse the Republican Party's nominee for president, [[John McCain]], and lent his support to third-party candidates instead.<ref>{{cite news |title=Two-Party 'Charade' Must End, Ron Paul Says |url=http://articles.cnn.com/2008-09-10/politics/paul.endorsement_1_paul-supporters-third-party-candidates-ron-paul-revolution?_s=PM:POLITICS |access-date=February 1, 2012 |newspaper=CNN |date=September 10, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120101141427/http://articles.cnn.com/2008-09-10/politics/paul.endorsement_1_paul-supporters-third-party-candidates-ron-paul-revolution?_s=PM:POLITICS |archive-date=January 1, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Paul |first=Ron |title=A New Alliance |url=http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog/?p=582 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080923183405/http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog/?p=582 |archive-date=September 23, 2008 |access-date=February 1, 2012 |newspaper=Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty |date=September 22, 2008}}</ref>

In the 2012 presidential campaign, during which he acknowledged it was unlikely that he would win the Republican Party nomination,<ref>{{cite news |last=Moran |first=Terry |title=Does Ron Paul See Himself in the Oval Office? 'Not Really?{{'-}} |url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/01/does-ron-paul-see-himself-in-the-oval-office-not-really |access-date=January 31, 2012 |newspaper=ABC News |date=January 2, 2012}}</ref> Paul again asserted that he was participating in the Republican Party on his own terms, trying to persuade the rest of the party to move toward his positions rather than joining in with theirs.<ref>{{cite news |title=Interview with Ron Paul |url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1106/05/sotu.01.html |access-date=February 1, 2012 |newspaper=CNN State of the Union with Candy Crowley |date=June 5, 2011}}</ref> He expressed doubt that he would support any of his rivals should they win the nomination, warning that, "If the policies of the Republican Party are the same as the [[Democrat Party (epithet)|Democrat Party]] and they don't want to change anything on foreign policy, they don't want to cut anything, they don't want to audit the Fed and find out about monetary policy, they don't want to have actual change in government, that is a problem for me."<ref>{{cite journal |last=McCormick |first=John |author2=Lerer, Lisa |title=Paul Sees Top-Two Finish in Iowa while Wary of Backing Rivals |journal=Bloomberg News |date=December 31, 2011 |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-30/paul-sees-placing-first-or-second-in-iowa-while-wary-of-supporting-rivals.html |access-date=January 31, 2012}}</ref> On that same theme he said in another interview, "I would be reluctant to jump on board and tell all of the supporters that have given me trust and money that all of a sudden, I'd say, [all] we've done is for naught. So, let's support anybody at all ... even if they disagree with everything that we do."<ref>{{cite news |title=Ron Paul Talks Presidential Politics, Policy |url=http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/fox-news-sunday/2011/11/06/ron-paul-talks-presidential-politics-policy-reps-shuler-simpson-urge-super-committee-go-b?page=2 |access-date=January 31, 2012 |newspaper=Fox News Sunday |date=November 6, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111209195527/http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/fox-news-sunday/2011/11/06/ron-paul-talks-presidential-politics-policy-reps-shuler-simpson-urge-super-committee-go-b?page=2 |archive-date=December 9, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Political positions ==
<!-- Before editing this summary section, please review WP: MOSBIO and WP:SUMMARY, and search the Talk page for recent discussion. Only major positions should appear in this section, which should remain brief. All other material should be added to the separate article [[Political positions of Ron Paul]]. -->
{{Libertarianism US|politicians}}
{{Conservatism US|politicians}}
{{main|Political positions of Ron Paul}}

Paul has been described as [[Conservatism in the United States|conservative]] and [[Libertarianism in the United States|libertarian]].<ref name=ny/> According to [[University of Georgia]] [[political scientist]] Keith Poole, Paul had the most conservative voting record of any member of Congress from 1937 to 2002,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://voteview.com/Is_John_Kerry_A_Liberal.htm |title=Is John Kerry a Liberal? |access-date=March 25, 2010}}</ref><ref>Keith Poole, "Estimating a Basic Space From A Set of Issue Scales," ''American Journal of Political Science'', 42 (July 1998), pp. 954–93.</ref> and is the most conservative of the candidates that had sought the 2012 Republican nomination for president.<ref>{{cite web |last=Poole |first=Keith T. |title=Ideological Locations of 2012 Republican Presidential Candidates (Updated January 5, 2012) |url=http://voteview.com/blog/?p=258 |work=Voteview Blog |access-date=January 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121020625/http://voteview.com/blog/?p=258 |archive-date=January 21, 2012}}</ref> Other analyses have judged Paul much more moderate. The ''[[National Journal]]'', for instance, rated Paul only the 145th-most-conservative member of the House of Representatives (out of 435) based on votes cast in 2010.<ref>{{cite journal |last=House |first=Billy |title=The Most Conservative Members of the House: Each is a Confirmed Budget Hawk and as a Group They are not above Being a Little Strident |journal=National Journal Daily |date=February 24, 2011 |url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/member/daily/the-most-conservative-members-of-the-house-20110224 |access-date=January 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723031856/http://www.nationaljournal.com/member/daily/the-most-conservative-members-of-the-house-20110224 |archive-date=July 23, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Vote Ratings 2010: How Did Your Member of Congress Vote? |url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/2010voteratings?person=P000583 |work=National Journal |access-date=January 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216033001/http://www.nationaljournal.com/2010voteratings?person=P000583 |archive-date=February 16, 2012}}</ref> The ''National Journal''{{'}}s analysis gave Paul a 2011 composite ideological rating of 54% liberal and 46% conservative.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/296/ron-paul#.W2tS-9JKiUk |title=Ron Paul's Ratings and Positions |website=votesmart.org}}</ref>

The foundation of Paul's political philosophy is the conviction that "the proper role for government in America is to provide national defense, a court system for civil disputes, a criminal justice system for acts of force and fraud, and little else."<ref>{{cite journal |last=Paul |first=Ron |title=Political Power and the Rule of Law |journal=Texas Straight Talk |date=February 5, 2007 |url=http://paul.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1106&Itemid=69 |access-date=January 28, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327092107/http://paul.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1106&Itemid=69 |archive-date=March 27, 2012}}</ref> He has been nicknamed "Dr. No", reflecting both his medical degree and his insistence that he will "never vote for legislation unless the proposed measure is expressly authorized by the Constitution."<ref name="drno" /><ref name="2008bio">{{cite web |url=http://www.ronpaul2008.com/about/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023173254/http://www.ronpaul2008.com/about/ |archive-date=October 23, 2007 |title=About Ron Paul |publisher=[[Ron Paul 2008]] |year=2007 |access-date=October 23, 2007}}</ref> In 2008, Paul spoke at the [[John Birch Society]]'s 50th-anniversary celebration.<ref name="Campbell 2008">{{cite web |last=Campbell |first=Walter |title=Birchers celebrate 50th |website=La Cañada Valley Sun |date=July 10, 2008 |url=https://www.latimes.com/socal/la-canada-valley-sun/news/tn-vsl-xpm-2008-07-10-lnws-johnbirchsociety710-story.html |via=latimes.com |access-date=September 16, 2021 |url-access=limited}}</ref><ref name="CBS News 2011">{{cite web |title=Ron Paul: The new teflon candidate? |website=CBS News |date=December 22, 2011 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ron-paul-the-new-teflon-candidate/ |access-date=September 16, 2021|author-first1=James|author-last1=Kirchick}}</ref>

=== Foreign policy ===

An anti-war activist, Paul promotes a [[noninterventionist]] foreign policy and an end to [[American imperialism]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Patriotism |url=http://archive.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul388.html |work=[[Congressional Record]] |publisher=[[U.S. House of Representatives]] |author=Paul, Ron |date=May 22, 2007 |access-date=October 23, 2007}}</ref> He advocates [[American Sovereignty Restoration Act|withdrawal]] from the [[United Nations]] and from the [[NATO|North Atlantic Treaty Organization]], for reasons of maintaining strong national sovereignty.<ref>{{cite web |last=Paul |first=Ron |date=January 6, 2009 |url=https://www.lewrockwell.com/2009/01/ron-paul/opportunities-for-peace-and-nonintervention/ |title=Opportunities for Peace and Nonintervention |work=LewRockwell.com}}</ref>

Paul voted for the [[Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists]] in response to the [[September 11 attacks]], but suggested war alternatives such as authorizing the president to grant [[Letters of Marque and Reprisal]] targeting specific terrorists, in lieu of launching an [[United States invasion of Afghanistan|Afghanistan invasion]]. An opponent of the [[Iraq War]] as well, and potential war with [[Iran]], he has criticized [[neoconservatism]] and U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, arguing that both inadvertently cause terrorist reprisals against Americans, such as the 9/11 attacks. Paul has stated that "Israel is our close friend" and that it is not the place of the United States to "dictate how Israel runs her affairs". Paul, a critic of the US's implementation of most [[foreign aid]], said in 2011 that "it was our foreign aid that helped [[Mubarak]] retain power to repress his people in the first place."<ref name="Israel">{{cite press release |url=http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20110519007204/en |title=Ron Paul Responds to President Obama's Middle East Speech |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523070454/http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20110519007204/en |archive-date=May 23, 2011}}</ref>

Following the [[Orange Revolution]] protests in 2004, which led to [[Viktor Yanukovych]]'s ouster from government, Paul accused the [[National Endowment for Democracy]] of having staged a coup in Ukraine.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kirchick |first1=James |date=May 9, 2014 |title=Is Rand Paul a Secret Hawk? Or Maybe Not a Total Dove? |work=[[The Daily Beast]] |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/05/09/is-rand-paul-a-secret-hawk-or-maybe-not-a-total-dove.html |access-date=March 16, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Paul |first=Ron |date=December 9, 2004 |title=What Has NED Done in Ukraine? |work=lewrockwell.com |url=https://www.lewrockwell.com/2004/12/ron-paul/what-has-ned-done-in-ukraine/ |access-date=March 16, 2020}}</ref> Paul supported the [[2014 Crimean status referendum]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kirchick |first=James |date=March 16, 2014 |title=Ron Paul Is Supporting Russia's Illegal Occupation of Crimea |language=en |work=The Daily Beast |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/16/ron-paul-is-supporting-russia-s-illegal-occupation-of-crimea |access-date=April 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325210215/https://www.thedailybeast.com/ron-paul-is-supporting-russias-illegal-occupation-of-crimea |archive-date=March 25, 2022}}</ref> for which he was called a friend of [[Vladimir Putin]] by [[The Atlantic]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Journal |first=Lucia Graves, National |date=July 21, 2014 |title=Ron Paul Is Putin's New Best Friend |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/07/ron-paul-is-putins-new-best-friend/439533/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211101161740/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/07/ron-paul-is-putins-new-best-friend/439533/ |archive-date=November 1, 2021 |access-date=April 8, 2022 |website=The Atlantic |language=en |url-access=limited}}</ref> and has objected to [[International sanctions during the Russo-Ukrainian War|sanctions during the Russo-Ukrainian War]] and [[List of military aid to Ukraine during the Russo-Ukrainian War|foreign aid to Ukraine]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Jon |date=March 7, 2022 |title=Ron Paul says Putin replaced COVID as excuse for government's failures |url=https://www.newsweek.com/ron-paul-says-putin-replaced-covid-excuse-governments-failures-1685490 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220402120719/https://www.newsweek.com/ron-paul-says-putin-replaced-covid-excuse-governments-failures-1685490 |archive-date=April 2, 2022 |access-date=April 8, 2022 |website=Newsweek |language=en |quote=He went on to write that sanctions imposed on Russia gives the government an excuse to raise gas prices, even while it doesn't ban Russian oil imports. Paul also suggested that the Putin-ordered invasion gave the Federal Reserve an opportunity to postpone what he said were "planned interest rate increases." "The Ukraine crisis also provides an excuse for Congress to do what Congress does best: increase federal spending. President Biden has requested Congress provide an additional $10 billion in emergency military aid to Ukraine," the former congressman wrote. "Congress will likely quickly approve the President's request. This will not likely be the last time Congress rushes billions of 'emergency' money to Ukraine." He theorized another consequence of the invasion could be lobbyists for military industries seeking to expand the country's military budget, in which Congress would likely agree to, he said.}}</ref>

=== Domestic issues ===

Paul endorses [[constitutional right]]s, such as the [[right to keep and bear arms]], and ''[[habeas corpus]]'' for political detainees. He was one of only three Republicans in the House to vote against the [[Patriot Act]]. Paul opposes federal use of [[Torture and the United States|torture]], [[presidential autonomy]], a [[REAL ID Act|national identification card]], warrantless [[NSA warrantless surveillance (2001–07)|domestic surveillance]], and [[Conscription in the United States|the draft]]. He has also called for shutting down the [[Transportation Security Administration|TSA]] and moving matters of [[airline security]] to private businesses.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2019/february/04/shut-down-the-tsa/ |title=Shut Down the TSA! – Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity|date=February 4, 2019 }}</ref> Paul believes that the notion of the [[separation of church and state]] is currently misused by the court system: "In case after case, the Supreme Court has used the infamous '[[separation of church and state]]' metaphor to uphold court decisions that allow the federal government to intrude upon and deprive citizens of their religious liberty."<ref>{{cite web |last=Paul |first=Ron |title=Restoring First Amendment Protections of Religion and Religious Speech to the U.S. House of Representatives |url=http://paul.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=330&Itemid=60 |access-date=December 8, 2010 |date=June 13, 2002 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205072817/http://paul.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=330&Itemid=60 |archive-date=December 5, 2010}}</ref> After the April 2013 [[Boston Marathon bombing]], Paul commented on the tactics used by governing forces into a harsh criticism that he has written as a "military-style occupation of an American city".<ref name="Camia" />

=== Economic issues ===
[[File:Paul LPAC 2011.jpg|thumb|Paul speaking at the 2011 [[Liberty Political Action Conference]] (LPAC)]]

Paul is a proponent of [[Austrian School]] economics; he has authored six books on the subject, and displayed pictures of Austrian School economists [[Friedrich Hayek]], [[Murray Rothbard]], and [[Ludwig von Mises]] (as well as of President [[Grover Cleveland]] and [[Chicago school (economics)|Chicago School]] economist [[Milton Friedman]])<ref name=will>{{cite news |title=A Cheerful Anachronism |url=http://www.libertypost.org/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=177422&Disp=41&Trace=on |author-link=George Will |last=Will |first=George F |date=February 18, 2007 |access-date=March 17, 2008 |work=[[Newsweek]] |archive-date=April 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408054649/http://libertypost.org/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=177422&Disp=41&Trace=on |url-status=dead}}</ref> on his office wall. He regularly voted against almost all proposals for new government spending, initiatives, or taxes;<ref name=saynot>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/08/AR2006070800966_2.html |title=Congressman Paul's Legislative Strategy? He'd Rather Say Not |author=Copeland, Libby |date=July 9, 2006 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=October 23, 2007 |url-access=limited}}</ref> he cast two thirds of all the lone negative votes in the House during a 1995–1997 period.<ref name=drno/>

Paul pledged never to raise taxes,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atr.org/content/html/2007/april/042407pr-ronpaul_pledge.html |title=Rep. Ron Paul Signs Presidential Taxpayer Protection Pledge |access-date=October 23, 2007 |publisher=Americans for Tax Freedom |author=Kartch, John |date=April 24, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011150929/http://atr.org/content/html/2007/april/042407pr-ronpaul_pledge.html |archive-date=October 11, 2007}}</ref> and states he has never voted to approve a [[budget deficit]]. Paul believes that the country could abolish the individual [[income tax]] by scaling back federal spending to its fiscal year 2000 levels;<ref name=endirs>{{cite web |url=http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2003/cr013003c.htm |title=End the Income Tax – Pass the Liberty Amendment |publisher=[[U.S. House of Representatives]] |work=[[Congressional Record]] |author=Paul, Ron |date=January 30, 2003 |access-date=March 8, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080301111946/http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2003/cr013003c.htm |archive-date=March 1, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.antiwarpresident.com/ronpaul/Ron-Paul-less-government-abolish-IRS.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070705203920/http://www.antiwarpresident.com/ronpaul/Ron-Paul-less-government-abolish-IRS.html |archive-date=July 5, 2007 |title=Paul Want Less Government, Less Taxes, and Abolish IRS |date=September 13, 2007 |work=Antiwar President |access-date=October 23, 2007}}</ref> financing government operations would be primarily by [[Excise tax in the United States|excise taxes]] and non-protectionist [[tariff]]s. He endorses eliminating most [[Government agencies#Government agencies in the United States|federal government agencies]], terming them unnecessary bureaucracies. On April 15, 2011, Paul was one of four Republican members of Congress to vote against Representative [[Paul Ryan]]'s budget proposal, known as "[[The Path to Prosperity]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll277.xml |title=Final vote results for roll call 277 |publisher=Clerk of the House of Representatives |date=April 15, 2011 |access-date=April 23, 2011}}</ref>

Paul has consistently warned of [[hyperinflation]] and called for a return to the [[gold standard]] as far back as 1981.<ref>Five Myths About the Gold Standard, Congressman Ron Paul, Congressional Record. 97th Congress, First Session. Volume 127, Part II. February 23, 1981. No. 28: "I believe such a standard to be not only desirable and feasible, but absolutely necessary if we aim to avoid the very real possibility of hyperinflation in the near future, and economic collapse. But in Washington today we have five myths about the gold standard."<!-- {{cite web |url=http://www.knology.net/~bilrum/5goldmyths.htm |title=Archived copy |accessdate=December 14, 2009 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232747/http://www.knology.net/~bilrum/5goldmyths.htm |archivedate=March 3, 2016}} --></ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2012/08/24/gop-appeased-me-on-gold-standard-rep-ron-paul.html |title=GOP Appeased Me on Gold Standard: Rep. Ron Paul |first=Justin |last=Menza |website=[[CNBC]] |date=August 24, 2012}}</ref> From 1999 until his retirement, he introduced bills into each Congress seeking to eliminate the [[Federal Reserve System]] in a single year,<ref>{{cite web |title=H.R. 1148: Federal Reserve Board Abolition Act |url=http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h106-1148 |work=106th Congress, 1999-03-17 |access-date=January 23, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=H.R. 1094: Federal Reserve Board Abolition Act |url=http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-1094 |work=112th Congress, 2011-03-15 |access-date=January 23, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Paul, Ron |date=September 11, 2007 |access-date=October 23, 2007 |title=Question and Answer session following Keynote speech at the Johns Hopkins Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies forum "Foreign Policy: A View from a Presidential Candidate" |url=http://ronpaulaudio.com/rpaudio/RonPaulatJohnsHopkinsSchoolofInternationalStudiesSAIS091107.m3u |work=Ron Paul Audio |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090324220848/http://ronpaulaudio.com/rpaudio/RonPaulatJohnsHopkinsSchoolofInternationalStudiesSAIS091107.m3u |archive-date=March 24, 2009}}</ref> a position he outlines in his 2009 book ''[[End the Fed]]''. Paul is a strong proponent of [[free trade]], once saying that "free trade is an answer to a lot of conflicts around the world".<ref name="Mic" /> He rejects membership in the [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] (NAFTA) and the [[World Trade Organization]] as "managed trade".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ontheissues.org/tx/Ron_Paul_Free_Trade.htm |title=Ron Paul on Free Trade |website=www.ontheissues.org}}</ref> He has also advocated for open trade and better relations with the country of [[Cuba]]. In addition, Paul argued in 2012 that "as well intentioned as [[Economic sanctions|sanctions]] are, they almost always backfire and hurt the people."<ref name="Mic">{{cite web |title=Ron Paul is the Only GOP Candidate Who Gets it Right on Cuba |url=https://www.mic.com/articles/3678/ron-paul-is-the-only-gop-candidate-who-gets-it-right-on-cuba |work=Mic |date=January 2012}}</ref>

Paul has described his interest in ending wars and lowering [[military spending]] as partly an "economic issue", adding, "We'd save a lot of money by not being engaged [in overseas conflict] like this."<ref name="WAexaminer" />

=== Climate change ===

As a [[free-market environmentalist]], Paul asserts [[private property]] rights in relation to environmental protection and pollution prevention.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/JknlzNNnLAo Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20130728015942/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JknlzNNnLAo Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JknlzNNnLAo |title=Texas Straight Talk (01/06/2012) |website=[[YouTube]] |date=January 18, 2012 |access-date=February 5, 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He [[climate change denial|rejects]] the [[scientific consensus on climate change]] and has claimed that [[global warming]] is a hoax in a 2009 [[Fox Business]] interview.<ref name=":1">{{cite episode |network=Fox Business Network |airdate=November 4, 2009 |minutes=7 |credits=Anchor: David Asman |series=America's Nightly Scoreboard}}</ref>

=== Healthcare ===

Paul has stated, "The government shouldn't be in the medical business." He pushes to eliminate federal involvement with and management of [[Healthcare in the United States|health care]], which he argues would allow prices to decrease due to the fundamental dynamics of a free market.<ref>{{cite web |author=Paul, Ron |url=http://archive.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul175.html |title=Free market Medicine |work=LewRockwell.com |date=May 5, 2004 |access-date=November 14, 2008}}</ref> He also opposes federal government influenza [[inoculation]] programs.<ref>{{cite news |last=Malcolm |first=Arthur |date=April 30, 2009 |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/04/ron-paul-swine-flu-federal-government.html |title=Ron Paul pooh-poohs swine flu; yet another grab for more Fed control! |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408205818/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/04/ron-paul-swine-flu-federal-government.html |archive-date=April 8, 2016 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=October 7, 2009 |url-access=limited}}</ref>

=== Immigration ===

Paul endorses increased border security and opposes welfare for [[Illegal immigration to the United States|illegal immigrants]], [[Birthright citizenship in the United States|birthright citizenship]], and [[amnesty]];<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ronpaulforcongress.com/html/bordersecurity.html |title=Issue: Border Security and Immigration Reform |publisher=[[Ron Paul 2008]] |author=Paul, Ron |access-date=June 20, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100604030521/http://ronpaulforcongress.com/html/bordersecurity.html |archive-date=June 4, 2010}}</ref> he voted for the [[Secure Fence Act of 2006]]. In a 2019 interview, Paul expressed disapproval of President [[Donald Trump]]'s proposed [[Mexico–United States border wall|border wall]] along the southern US border, saying, "I don't like walls. I don't want to wall people in and wall people out."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/424321-ron-paul-removing-incentives-not-border-wall-will-deter-illegal/ |title=Ron Paul: Remove incentives for illegal immigrants instead of building border wall |work=The Hill |author=Samuel, Brett |date=January 8, 2019 |access-date=October 21, 2020}}</ref>

=== Ballots and voting ===

Paul is an outspoken proponent of increased [[ballot access]] for third-party candidates.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2004/cr071504.htm |title=End the Two-Party Monopoly! |publisher=House of Representatives |work=[[Congressional Record]] |date=July 15, 2004 |access-date=October 23, 2007 |last=Paul |first=Ron |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930110358/http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2004/cr071504.htm |archive-date=September 30, 2007}}</ref> He has sought to repeal the [[National Voter Registration Act of 1993]], also known as the Motor Voter law.<ref>{{cite web |title=H.R. 2139: To Repeal the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 |url=http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h108-2139 |work=108th Congress, 2003-05-15 |access-date=January 23, 2012}}</ref>

=== Secession ===

Paul has stated that [[secession]] from the United States "is a deeply American principle" and that "If the possibility of secession is completely off the table there is nothing to stop the federal government from continuing to encroach on our liberties and no recourse for those who are sick and tired of it."<ref>{{cite news |last=Paul |first=Ron |title=Ron Paul: 'Secession is a deeply American principle{{'-}} |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/84058.html |newspaper=Politico |date=November 19, 2012}}</ref> Paul wrote the remarks in a post on his Congressional website in one of his final public statements as a member of Congress, noting that [[2012 state petitions for secession|many petitions]] had been submitted to the White House calling for secession in the wake of the November 2012 election.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Paul |first=Ron |title=Secession: Are we free to go? |journal=Texas Straight Talk |date=November 19, 2012 |url=http://paul.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2029&Itemid=69 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121212032655/http://paul.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2029&Itemid=69 |archive-date=December 12, 2012}}</ref>

=== Social issues ===
[[File:Ronpaul1.jpg|thumb|left|Paul at the 2007 [[National Right to Life Committee]] Convention]]

Citing the [[Ninth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Ninth]] and [[Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Tenth Amendments]], Paul advocates [[states' rights]] to decide how to regulate social matters not cited directly by the Constitution. He opposes federal regulation of such matters as the [[Capital punishment in the United States|death penalty]]<ref name=americanview>{{cite web |url=http://theamericanview.com/index.php?id=916 |author=Lofton, John |title=Excerpts From Our Exclusive Ron Paul Interview |date=August 2007 |access-date=October 23, 2007 |work=American View |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008221735/http://theamericanview.com/index.php?id=916&PHPSESSID=ada7ce327a1a2259581f5b52578e6df2 |archive-date=October 8, 2007}}</ref> (although he opposes capital punishment),<ref>{{cite web |author-link=Lew Rockwell |last=Rockwell |first=Lew |date=December 13, 2010 |url=https://www.lewrockwell.com/lrc-blog/ron-paul-defender-of-human-dignity/ |title=Ron Paul, Defender of Human Dignity |work=LewRockwell.com}}</ref> of education,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Ron_Paul_Education.htm |title=Ron Paul on Education: Republican Representative (TX-14) |work=On the Issues |access-date=October 23, 2007 |date=September 1, 2007}}</ref> of drugs, and of marriage. Regarding [[same-sex marriage]], he stated in 2011 that "My personal opinion is government shouldn't be involved. The whole country would be better off if individuals made those decisions and it was a private matter."<ref name="Shoenberg 2011">{{cite news |last=Shoenberg |first=Shira |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2011/12/20/ron-paul-favors-states-rights-same-sex-marriage-issue/uUyPB49e0k1Yt0OcpBIvnL/story.html |title=Ron Paul favors states' rights on same-sex marriage issue |work=The Boston Globe |date=December 20, 2011 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>  He endorsed revising the military's "[[don't ask, don't tell]]" policy to concern mainly disruptive sexual behavior (whether heterosexual or homosexual).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0706/05/se.01.html |title=Transcript of June 5 "CNN/WMUR/''New Hampshire Union Leader''" Republican presidential debate |publisher=CNN |access-date=November 14, 2008 |date=June 5, 2007 |author=Paul, Ron}}</ref> His abortion-related legislation, such as the [[Sanctity of Life Act]] in 2005, is intended to negate ''[[Roe v. Wade]]'' and to get "the federal government completely out of the business of regulating state matters."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Who+had+the+right+to+rule%3F+Accusations+about+the+abuses+of...-a0132162835 |title=Who had the right to rule? |publisher=American Opinion Publishing, Inc |work=[[The New American]] |author=Eddlem, Thomas R. |date=May 2, 2005 |access-date=October 5, 2007}}</ref> Paul says his years as an obstetrician led him to believe that life begins at [[Fertilisation|conception]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.teamliberty.net/id447.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071018022258/http://www.teamliberty.net/id447.html |archive-date=October 18, 2007 |title=An Interview with Presidential Candidate Congressman Ron Paul |department=Muckraker Report |work=Team Liberty |author=Murtagh, Joseph |date=June 28, 2007 |access-date=September 27, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.fitsnews.com/2018/11/28/ron-paul-allow-americans-to-opt-out-of-abortion-and-war/ |title=Ron Paul: Allow Americans to 'Opt Out' of Abortion and War |last=FITSNews |date=November 28, 2018 |language=en-US |access-date=January 29, 2020}}</ref>

Paul was critical of the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]], arguing that it sanctioned federal interference in the labor market and did not improve [[race relations]]. He once remarked: "The Civil Rights Act of 1964 not only violated the Constitution and reduced individual liberty; it also failed to achieve its stated goals of promoting racial harmony and a color-blind society".<ref name=cr1964>{{cite web |last1=Paul |first1=Ron |title=The Trouble With the '64 Civil Rights Act |url=https://www.lewrockwell.com/2004/07/ron-paul/the-trouble-with-the-64-civil-rights-act/ |website=LewRockwell.com |access-date=November 14, 2015 |ref=cr1964}}</ref> Paul opposes [[Affirmative action in the United States|affirmative action]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/issues/candidates/ron-paul/#affirmative-action |title=Ron Paul on the Issues |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=December 22, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220182530/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/issues/candidates/ron-paul/ |archive-date=February 20, 2009}}</ref>

Paul opposes the federal [[war on drugs]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.house.gov/paul/tst/tst2004/tst051704.htm |title=The War on Drugs is a War on Doctors |author=Paul, Ron |publisher=U.S. House of Representatives |date=April 17, 2004 |access-date=November 14, 2008 |work=[[Congressional Record]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080802163713/http://www.house.gov/paul/tst/tst2004/tst051704.htm |archive-date=August 2, 2008}}</ref> and advocates that states should decide whether to regulate or deregulate drugs such as [[Medical cannabis in the United States|medical]] and [[Recreational marijuana|recreational]] marijuana, and other substances.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:HR02592 |title=H.R. 2592 |date=July 23, 2001 |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=November 14, 2008 |archive-date=July 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130722095428/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:HR02592 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/03/what-would-president-ron-pauls-drug-policy-look-like/253620/ |author=Kelsey Harclerode |title=What Would President Ron Paul's Drug Policy Look Like? |date=March 2012 |work=The Atlantic |url-access=limited}}</ref> In 2001, he joined with Democratic Congressman [[Barney Frank]] in helping pass the States' Rights to Medical Marijuana Act (H.R. 2592), an attempt to stop the federal government from preempting states' medical marijuana laws.<ref>{{cite web |author=Frank, Barney |year=2002 |url=http://www.house.gov/frank/medmar2002.html |title=Frank Calls for Action on Medical Marijuana Legislation |publisher=United States House of Representatives |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090329134329/http://www.house.gov/frank/medmar2002.html |archive-date=March 29, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Paul again partnered with Frank in support of [[online gambling]] rights. In 2006, both strongly opposed H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition and Enforcement Act, and H.R. 4411, the Goodlatte-Leach [[Internet Gambling Prohibition Act]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:h.r.04777: |title=Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4777 |date=September 22, 2006 |via=Thomas.loc.gov |access-date=August 17, 2020 |archive-date=October 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018013459/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:h.r.04777: |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:h.r.04411: |title=Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4411 |date=July 13, 2006 |via=Thomas.loc.gov |access-date=August 17, 2020 |archive-date=November 25, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081125231725/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:h.r.04411: |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In June 2018, Paul posted a tweet containing a racist cartoon and a caption which invoked the [[Cultural Marxism conspiracy theory]]. The tweet read "Are you stunned by what has become of American culture? Well, it's not an accident. You've probably heard of 'Cultural Marxism,' but do you know what it means?" The tweet was later deleted with an apology, stating that a staff member had inadvertently posted what Paul described as an "offensive cartoon".<ref name="Tweets Racist Cartoon">{{Cite news |author=<!--anonymous author(s)--> |title=Ron Paul Tweets Racist Cartoon, Blames Staffer In Latest Deflection Of Bigoted Remarks Attributed To Libertarian Hero |date=July 2, 2018 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/ron-paul-racist-tweet-newsletter-anti-semitic/ |access-date=February 19, 2023 |work=CBS News}}</ref><ref name="Riotta 2018">{{Cite news |last=Riotta |first=Chris |date=July 2, 2018 |title=Ron Paul tweets, then deletes racist cartoon |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/ron-paul-racism-republican-party-racist-tweet-cultural-marxism-libertarian-a8427781.html |access-date=February 19, 2023 |work=The Independent}}</ref><ref name="Mathis-Lilley 2018">{{Cite news |last=Mathis-Lilley |first=Ben |date=July 2, 2018 |title=Ron Paul Becomes Latest Republican to Post Literal Nazi Content |work=Slate |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/07/ron-paul-racist-caricature-tweet-republican-pattern.html |access-date=February 19, 2023}}</ref>

== Post-congressional career ==
[[File:Ron Paul (53913088263).jpg|thumb|left|Paul speaking at a 2024 conference hosted by the [[Young Americans for Liberty]] student activism organization]]
In April 2013, Paul founded the [[Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity]], a [[foreign policy]] [[think tank]] that seeks to promote his non-interventionist views.<ref>{{cite news |first=Grace |last=Wyler |title=Ron Paul Is Launching His Own Foreign Policy Institute |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/ron-paul-foreign-policy-institute-2013-4 |access-date=May 12, 2013 |newspaper=BusinessInsider.com |date=April 12, 2013}}</ref> The institute is part of his larger foundation [[Foundation for Rational Economics and Education]]. In the same month, he began to offer the ''Ron Paul Curriculum'', a homeschool online curriculum developed by [[Gary North (economist)|Gary North]] and taught from a "free market and Christian" perspective.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ron Paul launches libertarian-edged home school curriculum |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ron-paul-launches-libertarian-edged-home-school-curriculum/ |newspaper=Fox News |date=April 8, 2013}}</ref>

In June 2013, Paul criticized the [[PRISM (surveillance program)|NSA surveillance program]] and praised [[Edward Snowden]] for having performed a "great service to the American people by exposing the truth about what our government is doing in secret".<ref>{{cite news |first=Rachel |last=Weiner |title=Ron Paul praises Edward Snowden |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/06/10/ron-paul-praises-edward-snowden/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=June 10, 2013 |url-access=limited}}</ref> In April 2015, Paul began appearing in [[infomercial]]s for [[Stansberry & Associates Investment Research]], warning about an upcoming financial meltdown as a result of the imminent crash of the world's currencies.<ref name="apocalypse">{{cite news |last1=Moody |first1=Chris |title=Ron Paul's apocalypse is now |url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/06/politics/rand-paul-ron-paul-election-2016/ |access-date=September 22, 2015 |publisher=CNN |date=June 11, 2015}}</ref><ref name="Financial Crisis">{{cite news |last1=Hook |first1=Janet |title=Ron Paul Ads Warn of Financial Crisis |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/ron-paul-ads-warn-of-financial-crisis-1432245027 |access-date=September 22, 2015 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=May 21, 2015 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>  In March 2017, Paul predicted a market downturn again.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/29/ron-paul-the-euphoria-in-the-markets-has-passed.html |title=Ron Paul: The 'euphoria' in the markets has passed |first=Anna |last=Pei |publisher=CNBC |date=March 29, 2017}}</ref>

Paul was a critic of President Trump's plans to increase the number of military personnel in Afghanistan. In August 2017, he said that Americans don't see Afghanistan as a threat to their personal security and being aggressive in foreign policy only loses Trump some of his support base.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Lai |first=Brian |date=September 26, 2017 |title=Terrorism and Foreign Policy |journal=Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics |doi=10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.491 |isbn=978-0190228637}}</ref> Paul has also called for Trump to bring American troops back from Syria in April 2018, on the grounds that the threat from [[ISIS]] has been eliminated.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/04/05/ron-paul-bring-troops-home-syria-now-editorials-debates/33584443/ |title=Ron Paul: Bring troops home from Syria now |newspaper=USA Today}}</ref> He continues to voice his disagreements regarding foreign policy, and more recently, regarding the events involving America and Iran.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/ron-paul-blasts-trump-foreign-policy-is-in-shambles |title=Ron Paul blasts Trump: 'Foreign policy is in shambles' |date=January 3, 2020 |website=Washington Examiner |language=en |access-date=January 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ocregister.com/dont-trust-trump-on-iran-ron-paul |title=Don't trust Trump on Iran: Ron Paul |date=January 6, 2020 |website=Orange County Register |language=en-US |access-date=January 29, 2020}}</ref>

In 2013, Paul established the Ron Paul Channel, an Internet broadcast. Its slogan was "Turn Off Your TV. Turn On the Truth".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ronpaulchannel.com/ |title=Ron Paul Channel}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Wing |first=Nick |date=July 9, 2013 |title='The Ron Paul Channel' Launching This Summer, Wants You To 'Turn Off Your TV,' 'Turn On The Truth' |newspaper=The Huffington Post |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/09/the-ron-paul-channel_n_3569249.html}}</ref>  In 2015, Paul ended all relationships with the Ron Paul Channel in order to start a new Internet program, which he co-hosts with Daniel McAdams, called ''The Ron Paul Liberty Report''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.campaignforliberty.org/ron-paul-ends-relationship-voices-liberty-start-new-venture |title=Ron Paul Ends Relationship with Voices of Liberty – Campaign for Liberty |work=Campaign for Liberty |access-date=April 3, 2016}}</ref>

===2016 presidential election===
Paul endorsed his son, Senator [[Rand Paul]], in the 2016 [[Republican Party presidential primaries, 2016|Republican primary]] and campaigned for him in Iowa.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://reason.com/blog/2015/08/14/breaking-ron-paul-endorses-son-rand-as-b |title=Updated: Ron Paul Endorses Son Rand as 'Best Hope' to Lead Country |author=Gillespie, Nick |access-date=March 10, 2017 |date=August 14, 2015 |work=Reason}}</ref> After his son dropped out, Paul said that no Republican or Democratic candidate even came close to holding libertarian views.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://redalertpolitics.com/2016/02/05/no-libertarian-ron-paul-slams-ted-cruz-says-sanders-pro-free-market/ |title="No libertarian": Ron Paul slams Ted Cruz, says Sanders is more pro-free market |first=Ryan |last=Girdusky |date=February 5, 2016 |work=Red Alert Politics |access-date=August 15, 2017 |archive-date=August 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170815185734/http://redalertpolitics.com/2016/02/05/no-libertarian-ron-paul-slams-ted-cruz-says-sanders-pro-free-market/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Paul expressed disappointment in former New Mexico governor [[Gary Johnson]]'s Libertarian Party nomination for president, and told independent voters that [[Green Party of the United States|Green Party]] nominee [[Jill Stein]] was a better candidate for those who "lean towards progressivism and liberalism", while emphasizing that he was not endorsing her.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hensch |first1=Mark |title=Ron Paul to independents: Vote Green Party |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/299044-ron-paul-to-independents-vote-green-party-nominee/ |newspaper=The Hill |access-date=August 15, 2017 |date=October 3, 2016}}</ref>

Paul received one electoral vote from a Texas [[faithless elector]], [[South Texas College]] political science professor William Greene (who had been pledged to [[Donald Trump]]),<ref name="Texas Tribune 1">{{cite web |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2017/01/09/rogue-texas-elector-explains-decision-back-ron-pau/ |title=Rogue Texas elector explains decision to back Ron Paul |author=Patrick Svitek |work=The Texas Tribune |date=January 9, 2017}}</ref> in the 2016 presidential election,<ref name="NYTimesElectoralCollege">{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/19/us/elections/electoral-college-results.html |title=A Historic Number of Electors Defected, and Most Were Supposed to Vote for Clinton |date=December 19, 2016 |work=The New York Times |author1=Schmidt, Kiersten  |author2=Andrews, Wilson |url-access=limited}}</ref><ref name="Texas Tribune 2">{{cite web |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2016/12/19/watch-texas-electoral-college-vote-begins-texas-ca/ |title=Texas electors cast 36 votes for Trump, 1 for Kasich, 1 for Ron Paul |author1=Patrick Svitek |author2=Bobby Blanchard |author3=Aliyya Swaby |work=The Texas Tribune |date=December 19, 2016}}</ref> making Paul the oldest person ever to receive an electoral vote, and the second Libertarian Party member to receive an electoral vote, after [[John Hospers]] in [[1972 United States presidential election|1972]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Passings: John Hospers |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-xpm-2011-jun-14-la-me-passings-20110614-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=June 14, 2011 |access-date=November 26, 2023}}</ref>

===2020 presidential election===
In the 2020 [[Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2020|Democratic primary]], Paul described Hawaii representative [[Tulsi Gabbard]] as "the most intelligent" and "the very, very best" option of the Democratic candidates, primarily for her views on foreign policy, adding, "We probably wouldn't agree with too much on economics."<ref name=WAexaminer>{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/ron-paul-calls-tulsi-gabbard-very-best-democratic-candidate |title=Ron Paul calls Tulsi Gabbard 'very best' Democratic candidate |date=May 6, 2019 |website=Washington Examiner}}</ref>

===2024 presidential election===
In April 2023, in an episode of ''The Ron Paul Liberty Report'' titled "President Kennedy?", Paul praised then-Democratic (later Independent) presidential candidate [[Robert F. Kennedy Jr.]] for his stances on noninterventionism, the [[pharmaceutical industry]], and [[Cronyism|crony]] [[corporatism]], saying "[Kennedy's] baggage is telling the truth" and advocated for his participation in the major party presidential debates.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4NJypTl6fE |title=President Kennedy? |website=[[YouTube]] |date=April 6, 2023 |access-date=August 19, 2024}}</ref>

A few days before the election, [[Elon Musk]] expressed interest in having Paul join the proposed [[Department of Government Efficiency]] during a [[Second presidency of Donald Trump|second Trump presidency]], which Musk has suggested could help cut the [[U.S. federal budget]] by up to US$2 trillion. Paul responded that he was happy to discuss the idea with Musk, although declined any "official position" within the new department.<ref>{{cite web|title=Elon Musk asks this ex-Congressman to join second Trump term |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/elon-musk-asks-this-ex-congressman-to-join-second-trump-term-to-reduce-101730541022990.html|website=[[Hindustan Times]]|date=November 2, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| date= November 5, 2024 | title = Ron Paul vows to join Elon Musk, help eliminate government waste in a Trump admin| url = https://thehill.com/video/ron-paul-vows-to-join-elon-musk-help-eliminate-government-waste-in-a-trump-admin/10191375| website = The Hill}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
[[File:Will, Rand & Ron Paul.jpg|thumb|Paul at a rally in [[Erlanger, Kentucky]], in October 2010, along with his son, senatorial candidate [[Rand Paul]] of Kentucky, and his grandson, William Paul ''(pictured from right to left)'']]Paul has been married to Carol (Carolyn) Wells since 1957.<ref name=dailypaul>{{cite web |url=http://dailypaul.com/node/53 |title=The American Dream – Through the Eyes of Mrs. Ron Paul |author=Paul, Carol |date=March 16, 2007 |work=Daily Paul |access-date=March 22, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011192056/http://dailypaul.com/node/53 |archive-date=October 11, 2007}}</ref> They met in 1952 when Wells asked Paul to be her escort to her 16th birthday party.<ref>Sheri & Bob Stritof. [http://marriage.about.com/od/politics/p/ronpaul.htm "Carol and Ron Paul Marriage Profile".] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024222337/http://marriage.about.com/od/politics/p/ronpaul.htm |date=October 24, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ron Paul |url=http://www.biography.com/people/ron-paul-265881?page=1 |work=Biography |publisher=A&E Television Networks |access-date=April 3, 2016 |archive-date=April 12, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412111947/http://www.biography.com/people/ron-paul-265881?page=1 |url-status=dead}}</ref> They have five children, who were [[infant baptism|baptized]] [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopalian]]:<!--Source doesn't mention what is said here--><ref name=ny>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/magazine/22Paul-t.html |title=The Antiwar, Anti-Abortion, Anti-Drug-Enforcement-Administration, Anti-Medicare Candidacy of Dr. Ron Paul |author=Caldwell, Christopher |work=[[The New York Times Magazine]] |date=July 22, 2007 |access-date=September 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220612042634/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/magazine/22Paul-t.html?_r=0 |archive-date=June 12, 2022 |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref> Ronald, Lori, [[Rand Paul|Randal]], Robert, and Joy. Paul's son Randal (Rand) is the junior United States senator from the state of Kentucky. Raised a [[Lutheran]], Paul later became a [[Baptist]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Husna Haq |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/2011/0513/Election-101-Ron-Paul-sets-sights-on-2012.-Ten-things-to-know-about-him/What-is-his-family-and-religious-background |title=Election 101: Ron Paul sets sights on 2012. Ten things to know about him. – What is his family and religious background? |journal=[[The Christian Science Monitor]] |access-date=August 9, 2011 |date=May 13, 2011}}</ref> Since 1995, Carol Paul has published the ''[[Ron Paul Family Cookbook]]'', a collection of recipes she and her friends contributed, and which was sold in part to support Ron Paul's political campaigns.<ref>{{cite news |last=McDevitt |first=Caitlin |title=Ron Paul's family publishes 2012 cookbook |url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2011/11/ron-pauls-family-publishes-2012-cookbook-041146 |access-date=June 16, 2013 |newspaper=Politico |date=November 29, 2011}}. For earlier versions see: {{cite book |last=Paul |first=Carol |title=The Ron Paul family cookbook |year=1997 |location=Clute, TX |page=16 |oclc=793200538}} and {{cite book |last=Paul |first=Carol |title=The Ron Paul family spring cookbook: including "The American dream, through the eyes of Mrs. Ron Paul" |year=2002 |location=Clute, TX |page=32 |oclc=793200539}}</ref> His life and career is the subject of the 2012 film ''Ron Paul Uprising''.<ref name=systematic>{{cite web |first=Debbie |last=Lewis |url=http://pronlinenews.com/?p=21019 |title=Dr. Ron Paul: Systematic extinction of the GOP |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420112248/http://pronlinenews.com/?p=21019 |archive-date=April 20, 2016 |work=PRonlinenews.com |date=June 2, 2012}}</ref> Paul and his wife reside in [[Lake Jackson, Texas]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Vince-Vaughn-Ron-Paul-4642703.php |title=Vince Vaughn spotted mingling at Ron Paul's barbecue in Lake Jackson |author1=Craig Hlavaty |author2=Houston Chronicle |date=July 2, 2013 |work=Houston Chronicle |access-date=April 3, 2016}}</ref>

On September 25, 2020, Paul was hospitalized after slurring his words while speaking during a livestream event. Paul later posted a photo of himself in a hospital bed to his Twitter page, along with the statement "I am doing fine. Thank you for your concern."<ref name="fox_hospitalized">{{cite news |last1=Ross |first1=Lee |last2=Henney |first2=Megan |title=Ron Paul hospitalized for 'precautionary' reasons in Texas, Fox News has learned |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ron-paul-hospitalized-for-precautionary-reasons-in-texas-fox-news-has-learned |access-date=September 25, 2020 |work=Fox News |date=September 25, 2020}}</ref> In April 2021, following Paul's absence from his daily show, the ''Ron Paul Liberty Report'', his co-host Daniel McAdams revealed Paul's daughter, Lori Pyeatt, had recently died.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Lori (Paul) Pyeatt Requiescat in pace |url=http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/peace-and-prosperity/2021/april/26/lori-paul-pyeatt-requiescat-in-pace/ |date=April 6, 2021}}</ref>

== Media relating to Ron Paul ==

=== Books ===
* ''Ron Paul: Father of the Tea Party'', by Jason Rink, 2011<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Sanneh |first=Kelefa| authorlink = Kelefa Sanneh |title=Party Crasher |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/02/27/party-crasher |access-date=April 18, 2021 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-us}}</ref>
* ''Ron Paul's rEVOLution: The Man and the Movement He Inspired'', by Brian Doherty, 2012<ref>Scribd [https://www.scribd.com/book/163600786/Ron-Paul-s-rEVOLution-The-Man-and-the-Movement-He-Inspired Ron Paul's rEVOLution: The Man and the Movement He Inspired by Brian Doherty] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306164108/http://www.scribd.com/book/163600786/Ron-Paul-s-rEVOLution-The-Man-and-the-Movement-He-Inspired |date=March 6, 2016 }}</ref>

=== Films ===
* ''The Housing Bubble'', a 2018 documentary starring Ron Paul, and featuring numerous archival clips of his predictions over the years.
* ''[[America: Freedom to Fascism]]'', 2006 film featuring an interview from Paul.
* ''[[American Drug War: The Last White Hope]]'', 2007 documentary in which Paul has a cameo appearance.
* ''[[I.O.U.S.A.]]'', 2008 documentary featuring Paul among the cast.
* ''[[Brüno]]'', 2009 film by [[Sacha Baron Cohen]] in which Paul has a cameo appearance.
* ''[[An Inconvenient Tax]]'', 2010 documentary featuring Paul among the cast.
* ''Ron Paul Uprising'', 2012 film by William Lewis, about Paul and his campaign for the presidency.<ref name=systematic/>
* ''[[Atlas Shrugged Part III: Who Is John Galt?]]'', 2014 adaptation of ''[[Atlas Shrugged]]'' in which Paul has a cameo appearance.

== Bibliography ==
{{Main|Ron Paul bibliography}}

{{refbegin|30em}}
* {{Cite book |title=Gold, Peace, and Prosperity: The Birth of a New Currency |year=1981 |isbn=978-9110412804 |publisher=[[Foundation for Rational Economics and Education]] |location=Lake Jackson, TX |pages= |url=https://www.mises.org/books/goldpeace.pdf |access-date=July 30, 2007 |oclc=7877384 |last=Paul |first=Ron}}
* {{Cite book |last=Paul |first=Ron |author2=Lehrman, Lewis |author3=U.S. Gold Commission |title=The Case for Gold: A Minority Report of the U.S. Gold Commission |date=September 1982 |publisher=[[Cato Institute]] (2d ed. [[Ludwig von Mises Institute]], 2007) |location=Washington, DC |pages= |url=https://www.mises.org/books/caseforgold.pdf |access-date=July 30, 2007 |isbn=978-0932790316 |oclc=8763972 |author2-link=Lewis Lehrman}}
* {{Cite book |title=Abortion and Liberty |year=1983 |publisher=Foundation for Rational Economics and Education |location=Lake Jackson, TX |pages= |isbn=978-0912453026 |oclc=9682249 |last=Paul |first=Ron}}
* {{Cite book |title=Ten Myths About Paper Money: And One Myth About Paper Gold |year=1983 |isbn= |publisher=Foundation for Rational Economics and Education |location=Lake Jackson, TX |pages= |oclc=11765863 |last=Paul |first=Ron}}
* {{Cite book |title=Mises and Austrian Economics: A Personal View |year=1984 |isbn= |publisher=Ludwig von Mises Institute (2d ed. 2004) |location=[[Auburn, Alabama|Auburn]], AL |pages= |url=https://www.mises.org/books/paulmises.pdf |access-date=July 30, 2007 |last=Paul |first=Ron |oclc=19968524}}
* {{Cite book |url=https://mises.org/library/freedom-under-siege |title=Freedom Under Siege: The U.S. Constitution After 200&nbsp;Years |year=1987 |isbn=978-1610164443 |publisher=Foundation for Rational Economics and Education (2d ed. Ludwig von Mises Institute, 2007) |location=Lake Jackson, TX |pages= |oclc=19697005 |last=Paul |first=Ron}}
* {{Cite book |title=Challenge to Liberty: Coming to Grips with the Abortion Issue |year=1990 |isbn= |publisher=Ron Paul Enterprises |location=Lake Jackson, TX |pages= |oclc=46960450 |last=Paul |first=Ron}}
* {{Cite book |title=The Ron Paul Money Book: The Monetary Writings of Congressman Ron Paul |year=1991 |publisher=Plantation Publishing |last=Paul |first=Ron |isbn= |location= |pages=}}
* {{Cite book |title=A Republic, If You Can Keep It |year=2000 |isbn= |publisher=Foundation for Rational Economics and Education |url=http://paul.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=510&Itemid=60 |access-date=September 6, 2011 |location=Lake Jackson, TX |pages= |oclc=45414993 |last=Paul |first=Ron |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904072016/http://paul.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=510&Itemid=60 |archive-date=September 4, 2011}}
* {{Cite book |title=The Case for Defending America |location=Lake Jackson, TX |pages= |publisher=Foundation for Rational Economics and Education |year=2002 |isbn= |oclc=49744552 |last=Paul |first=Ron}}
* {{Cite book |title=The Ron Paul – Liberty In Media Awards–2001 |year=2002 |publisher=Palisade Business Press |location=Jersey City, NJ |pages= |isbn=978-1893958845 |last=Paul |first=Ron}}
* {{Cite book |title=The Ron Paul – Liberty In Media Awards – Vol. 2–2002 |year=2003 |isbn= |publisher=Palisade Business Press |location=Jersey City, NJ |pages= |last=Paul |first=Ron}}
* {{Cite book |title=The Ron Paul – Liberty In Media Awards – Vol. 3–2003 |year=2004 |publisher=Palisade Business Press |location=Jersey City, NJ |pages= |isbn=978-1893958241 |last=Paul |first=Ron}}
* {{Cite book |author-link=Fred Upton |last=Upton |first=Fred |author2=Paul, Ron |title=Indecency in the Media: Rating and Restricting Entertainment Content: Should the House Pass H.R. 3717, the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act? |location=Washington, DC |pages= |publisher=[[Congressional Digest]] Corp |year=2005 |isbn= |oclc=81150568}}
* {{Cite book |author-link=Charles Rangel |last=Rangel |first=Charles B. |author2=Paul, Ron |title=Compulsory National Service: 2006–2007 Policy Debate Topic: Should the All-Volunteer Force be Replaced by Universal, Mandatory National Service? |location=[[Bethesda, Maryland|Bethesda]], MD |pages= |publisher=Congressional Digest Corp |year=2006 |isbn= |oclc=84912971}}
* {{Cite book |title=A Foreign Policy of Freedom: Peace, Commerce, and Honest Friendship |year=2007 |publisher=[[Foundation for Rational Economics and Education]] |location=Lake Jackson, TX |pages= |isbn=978-0912453002 |oclc=145174995 |last=Paul |first=Ron |title-link=A Foreign Policy of Freedom: Peace, Commerce, and Honest Friendship}}
* {{Cite book |title=Pillars of Prosperity |url=https://archive.org/details/pdfy-l1I7cdjuWX_pCXm0 |year=2008 |last=Paul |first=Ron |publisher=Ludwig von Mises Institute |location=[[Auburn, Alabama|Auburn]], AL |pages= |isbn=978-1933550244}}
* {{Cite book |last=Paul |first=Ron |author2=Haddad, Philip |author3=Marsh, Roger |title=Ron Paul Speaks |location=[[Guilford, Connecticut|Guilford]], CN |pages= |publisher=Lyons Press |year=2008 |isbn=978-1599214481 |oclc=199459258}}
* {{Cite book |title=The Revolution: A Manifesto |year=2008 |publisher=[[Grand Central Publishing]] |location=New York |pages= |isbn=978-0446537513 |oclc=191881970 |last=Paul |first=Ron |title-link=The Revolution: A Manifesto}}
* {{Cite book |title=End the Fed |year=2009 |publisher=[[Grand Central Publishing]] |location=New York |pages= |isbn=978-0446549196 |oclc=318878539 |last=Paul |first=Ron |title-link=End the Fed}}
* {{Cite book |title=Liberty Defined: 50 Essential Issues That Affect Our Freedom |year=2011 |publisher=[[Grand Central Publishing]] |location=New York |pages= |isbn=978-1455501458 |last=Paul |first=Ron |url=https://archive.org/details/libertydefined5000paul}}
* {{Cite book |title=The School Revolution: A New Answer for Our Broken Education System |year=2013 |publisher=[[Grand Central Publishing]] |location=New York |pages= |isbn=978-1455577170 |oclc=828057047 |last=Paul |first=Ron |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/schoolrevolution0000paul}}
* {{Cite book |title=Swords Into Plowshares: A Life in Wartime and a Future of Peace and Prosperity |year=2015 |isbn=978-0996426503 |location= |publisher=Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity |pages= |first=Ron |last=Paul}}
* {{Cite book |title=The Revolution at Ten Years |year=2017 |publisher=Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity |isbn=978-0996426558 |location= |pages= |last=Paul |first=Ron}}
{{refend}}

=== Other contributions ===
{{refbegin|30em}}
* {{Cite book |title=The Party System |author-link=Hilaire Belloc |last=Belloc |first=Hilaire |author2=Chesterton, Cecil |author-link2=Cecil Chesterton |location=[[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]], VA |pages= |publisher=IHS Press |year=2007 |orig-year=1911 |isbn=978-1932528114 |oclc=173299105 |others=Paul, Ron (foreword)}}
* {{Cite book |last=Fortman |first=Erik |author2=Lavello, Randy |title=Webs Of Power: Government Agencies, Secret Societies, & Elite Legacies |location=[[Austin, Texas|Austin]], Texas |pages= |publisher=Van Cleave Publishing |year=2004 |isbn=978-0975967003 |oclc=61026033 |others=Paul, Ron (interview) |url=https://archive.org/details/websofpowergover0000fort}}
* {{Cite book |title=Human Embryo Experimentation |last=Haugen |first=David M. |author2=Musser, Susan |location=[[Detroit, Michigan|Detroit]], MI |pages= |publisher=Greenhaven Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-0737732436 |oclc=84152907 |others=Paul, Ron (Chapter 9: No form of stem cell research should be federally funded) |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780737732436}}
* {{Cite book |title=National Security |editor-last=Haugen |editor-first=David M. |location=[[Detroit, Michigan|Detroit]], MI |pages= |publisher=Greenhaven Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-0737737615 |oclc=144227284 |others=Paul, Ron (Chapter 1–7: The federal debt is a threat to national security) |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/nationalsecurity00haug}}
* Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/WK76Dl18uAU Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20120605042451/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK76Dl18uAU&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Cite video |date=2007 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK76Dl18uAU |title=Fiat Empire: Why the Federal Reserve Violates the U.S. Constitution |people=Jaeger, James; [[Ted Baehr|Baehr, Theodore]]; [[G. Edward Griffin|Griffin, G. Edward]]; Paul, Ron; Vieira, Edwin |first= |type= |language= |publisher=Cornerstone-Matrixx Entertainment |medium=DVD |location=Beverly Hills, CA |oclc=192133806}}{{cbignore}}
* {{Cite book |title=How to Survive the IRS |last=Minns |first=Michael Louis |location=Fort Lee, NJ |pages= |publisher=Barricade Books |year=2001 |isbn=978-1569801703 |oclc=44860846 |others=Paul, Ron (foreword) |url=https://archive.org/details/howtosurviveirsm0000minn}}
* {{Cite journal |author1=Paul, Ron |author2=Hayashi, Terry |author3=Pardo, Victoriano |author4=Fisher, Edwin |name-list-style=amp |title=Evaluation of Renal Biopsy in Pregnancy Toxemia |url= |journal=Obstetrics and Gynecology |volume=34 |pages=235–241 |publisher=American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists |pmid=5798269 |date=August 1, 1969 |issue=2}}
* {{Cite journal |title=Being Pro-Life is Necessary to Defend Liberty |url=https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/01443339910788712/full/html?skipTracking=true |year=1999 |journal=International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy |volume=19 |issue=3–4 |page=11 |oclc=89482648 |url-access=registration |via=[[Emerald Group Publishing]] |publisher=MCB University Press, Ltd |issn=0144-333X |doi=10.1108/01443339910788712 |last=Paul |first=Ron}}
* {{Cite video |url= |title=The United Nations & the New World Order |people=Paul, Ron; [[Roscoe Bartlett|Bartlett, Roscoe]] |first= |medium=Videotape |location=[[Brunswick, OH]] |type= |language= |publisher=American Portrait Films, Inc |date=2001 |isbn=978-1573411325 |oclc=56793278 |display-authors=etal}}
* {{Cite video |people=Pearl, Sandy; Beutel, Bill; Alis, Bob; Weingold, Dave; Paul, Ron; Bartsch, Ed |first= |date=1980 |url= |title=Born Again |type= |language= |publisher=University of Georgia Instructional Resources Center |location=Athens, GA |medium=Videotape |oclc=7407395}}
* {{Cite book |title=The Closing Door: The End of Financial Privacy in America and How to Protect Yourself |last=Skousen |first=Mark |author2=Weber, Chris |author3=Ketcher, Michael |location=[[Bethel, Connecticut|Bethel]], CN |pages= |publisher=Institute for the Preservation of Wealth (worldcat.org/oclc/35396237 2d ed. 1988) |year=1987 |isbn=978-0938689034 |oclc=17209571 |others=Paul, Ron (introduction) |url=https://archive.org/details/closingdoorendof0000skou}}
* {{Cite book |last=Vieira |first=Edwin Jr. |others=Paul, Ron (foreword) |title=Pieces of Eight |location=Fort Lee, NJ |pages= |publisher=Sound Dollar Committee |year=1983 |isbn=978-0815962267 |oclc=9919612}}
* {{Cite book |title=The Liberty Dollar Solution to the Federal Reserve |author-link=Liberty dollar (private currency) |editor-last=von NotHaus |editor-first=Bernard |publisher=American Financial Press |date=September 1, 2003 |location=[[Evansville, Indiana|Evansville]], IN |pages= |isbn=978-0967102528 |others=Paul, Ron (Chapter 21: Abolish the Fed)}}
{{refend}}

== See also ==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Criticism of the Federal Reserve]]
* [[Draft Ron Paul movement]]
* [[Libertarian Republican]]
* [[List of federal political scandals in the United States]]
* [[List of peace activists]]
* [[List of politicians affiliated with the Tea Party movement]]
* [[Paulville, Texas]]
* [[Students for Ron Paul]]
{{div col end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{sister project links|d=y|wikt=no|b=no|v=no|voy=no|m=no|mw=no|species=no|s=Author:Ron Paul|n=Category:Ron Paul}}
* {{IMDb name|2223785}}
* {{C-SPAN|45747}}
* [https://www.politifact.com/personalities/ron-paul/ Fact-checking] at [[PolitiFact]].com
* [https://www.ontheissues.org/Ron_Paul.htm Issue positions and quotes] at [[On the Issues]]

'''Congress'''
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/summary?cid=N00005906 Profile] at [[OpenSecrets]]
* [https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/ronald_paul/400311 Profile] at [[GovTrack]]
* {{CongLinks | congbio=P000583 | votesmart=296 | fec=H6TX22101 | congress= }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20111019143450/http://www.ronpaul.tv/ Ron Paul TV]. Ron Paul presidential candidate media and Internet video campaign.

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