The rEVOLution Takes Over The CA GOP Convention

Saturday was a momentous day at the CA GOP convention down here in Los Angeles. The Ron Paul rEVOLution arrived in force early at the Marriott Live in downtown in anticipation of hearing their leader Presidential candidate Ron Paul speak. I myself have been to many of these state political conventions over the years but I have never seen what I saw happen Saturday morning. Hundreds of supporters of the Congressman from Texas were outside the hotel to greet him as he arrived. Freedom is still popular apparently in the Republican Party.

I would guess that the average age of the supporters that showed up would be in the mid 20s. Who says political candidates can't excite young people. This youthful energy that they are bringing to the party is sorely needed.

So now I want to set the scene for people. It's around 8:30 in the morning and Dr Paul is being escorted to his first speaking event of the morning to the Los Angeles Lincoln Club. For the record he was not invited to speak at any of the formal lunches or dinners at the CRP. As if ignoring him and all the energy we are bringing to the party will make us go away. Just imagine around 500 to 600 noisy supporters following him through the lobby and then upstairs past all the party regulars who had a look of disbelief/and or consternation on their faces. The crowd was chanting "Ron Paul" and "End the Fed" mostly. It was a moment that I will never forget. For a video flavor of this event click here

Later on that morning before his big speaking engagement to the Republican Liberty Caucus of CA, we had a private meet and greet with Ron and all the locally elected GOP Central committee members from all over the state. One of the great untold stories is how many supporters of Dr Paul's ideas and philosophy have been elected to county Central Committees in all 58 counties around the state. Look for many good things to come to the CA Republican Party out of this organizing.

After spending some time with local leaders, we opened the doors to the hundreds of supporters waiting to get a chance to hear the good doctor's message. They were not disappointed. A politician who tells the truth is a very rare commodity in modern politics. This is why Ron is so popular with the young generation in my opinion. He spoke on his bread and butter issues....ending the wars, individual liberty, the folly of the war on drugs, ending the Fed, abolishing the Education Dept, and many more. At the end of the meeting, everyone was encouraged to vote in the Straw Poll that the party was holding, and vote they did.

Ron Paul ended up winning the CA GOP Straw Poll going away with 45% of the vote. The next closest person was Gov Rick Perry with 30%. Whether Ron Paul will get the GOP nomination is anyone's guess, but he has inspired a generation of young activists that will be carrying the torch of individual liberty going forward in the Republican Party. I'm reminded of a famous quote by Samuel Adams...."It does not take a majority to prevail... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." The fires have been lit in CA. The question is will the party and the voters jump on the bandwagon of freedom before its to late.