Yesterday we talked a little about B.J. Lawson, a 33-year old with no political experience, running for congress in North Carolina. Last night, Lawson destroyed his opponent with over 70% of the vote. The key is, that Lawson did it primarily on his own merits, without the help of many Ron Paul supporters.
Ron Paul pulled down a little over 7% with 37,392 votes statewide. Lawson received 70% of the vote with a total of 24,410 in just his district. Take Durham County, for example, where Ron Paul received 690 votes but Lawson pulled in 4,501. That means a lot of John McCain, Mike Huckabee or “None of the Above” supporters went with Lawson over the toe-the-line Republican challenger Augustus Cho.
This results in an interesting analysis: while republicans do not like Ron Paul, they do like his message. Obviously, Lawson (as we mentioned yesterday) has a slightly less-aggressive tone than Paul, but his philosophical arguments remain almost identical. Cho (who is also a presbyterian minister) was a bastion of neo-con, neo-fascist philosophy – he sounded exactly like a mix between Mike Huckabee and Fred Thompson (debate: Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) – two of the candidates beloved by more traditional republicans.
The next big test of course, is what a more conservative, constitutional and philosophically consistent republican will do against a democrat – especially an incumbent like David Price. Cho declared of his opponent:
It’s going to take a true republican to beat David Price. Not a libertarian closet-republican… whose essentially going to divide up our party. If you support Ron Paul, then you know what? You need to support my young primary opponent because he’s a Ron Paul libertarian: 100%. If you go to his webpage, everything he stands for is right there. I call him Ron Paul Jr., because that’s what he is.
He’s not going to beat David Price. When David price looks at this guy, he’s going to look at him and spit him out.
While it is clear that Lawson has an uphill battle, it is just as clear that Ron Paul’s message can win within the republican party. In fact, Ron Paul’s message may be the only thing that can save the GOP in congress – which is looking like it’s going to get obliterated this November.
I think it is a mistake to think Lawson didn’t benefit from Ron Paul supporters just because Ron Paul received less votes than he might have had it not been widely reported that ‘there is no way he can win’. Given that state of belief, even a strong Paul supporter can think ‘which way to best use my vote to influence those who could win’, but definitely be following their pro-Paul leanings in supporting Lawson, who was not similarly reported as being ‘unable to win’.
I think the media has a HUGE roll in determining how people vote, and frankly it is troubling to me that the best candidate can be marginalized by media projections. It starts at the very baseline issue of ‘which candidates do you even get to know’? I know when I used to vote the lesser of two evils (culminating with my second vote for George Bush), I wouldn’t even have researched a candidate ‘everyone knew’ couldn’t win. So how do we determine who ‘can’t win?’ Generally, by what the media says, unfortunately.
Congratulations to Lawson.
I think the Ron Paul republicans around the nation helped his primary fundraising and are going to help him in the general against the Democrat. All Ron Paul republicans are usually promoted within the Ron Paul supporter forums, meetups and internet sites. We will continue to add funds to those who want to stand up for the Constitution, limited government, freedom and liberty.
I think it is highly suspicious when “Ron Paul Republicans” and even Ron Paul himself can pull down 70% of the vote and yet Ron Paul for President only pulls down 7%-30% of the vote.
In NH we know it was due to massive voter fraud, which is a real problem here.
Apparently they don’t bother to ‘fix’ local elections…?
spinnikerca,
The Ron Paul supporters in Durham county couldn’t get about 3,500 people to vote for Paul, but these people did vote for Lawson. That tells me that they liked Ron Paul’s message but not the messenger.
Gmartine, you are exactly correct. We will continue to support each and every person running for office that is a Ron Paul Republican. We will take this party from the inside out.
Watch out, REAL change is coming.
Dr. Paul had Fox News beating him up every chance they got – with their pundits denigrating him every chance they could. That hurt Dr. Paul because a lot of”Republicans” however you define that term- watch Faux News.
Based on Faux News – the definition of a true Republican is one who spends his grandkids money on a war killing Arabs who did us no harm .
That definition won’t elect any Republicans this year – thank goodness.
I agree with NH. I wasn’t what i would call a conspiracy theorist but I do believe that massive voter fraud has been perpetuated against the people. The numbers and supporters just don’t add up. Do I know there was fraud no but my gut and intelligence tell me something is fishy. Hell just watch Barrak’s NC victory speech and then watch any RP speech the similarity’s were astounding. If anyone were to watch any of Barrak’s older speeches on youtube none of his rhetoric sounded like Paul’s in the past yet now it does. So why would Barrak adopt it to sound like someone who supposedly has no traction if it wasn’t working? or was it working too well and needed to be silenced and marginalized? At any rate way to go Lawson! I will always vote for anyone that honors the governments contract with the people (the constitution)!
Wrong… Republicans dislike Ron Paul AND his message.
I think Ron Paul got 7% because of media marginalization. The MSM gives him no air time compared to the other candidates and when they do they called him a “fringe candidate” or “no chance.” When people listen to Ron’s message unadultrated they like it.
A lot of things today seem very Orwellian in nature. Indeed, the country is drifting into a sad state of affairs. But there is hope! A Revolution is building!
Look at the outcome of Ron Paul’s reelection campaign in Texas vs his presidential race.
— votes in his small congressional district for his reelection to congress: 37,777
— votes in the entire state of Texas for his presidential bid: 69,954
…. and.. he had over 4,000 at his rally in Texas. So we’re to believe that 18% of ALL of the people who voted for him in all of Texas were at that rally?
The racism allegations hurt Ron Paul. If he runs again in 2012 the allegations will be old news and he might fair better. Better yet, he should run for the Senate.
hucker wrote: “So we’re to believe that 18% of ALL of the people who voted for him in all of Texas were at that rally?”
Is that so hard to believe? The Texas Republican primary was a meaningless charade given that John McCain already had the nomination locked up. Anybody who cared about influencing the election crossed party lines and voted in the Democratic primary. Only the die-hard Ron Paul supporters (like me!) bothered to show up and cast their votes for him.
There is some truth to your statement there – “people like his message more than him”. Mainely due to what the MSM media did to his name this elections season. He was not once mentioned with out being called, fringe, kook, longshot, white supremist, 9/11 truther, brothel supports him, racist…we know he has a solid message and that’s what the r3VOLution about.
Incognito, actually we have empirical evidence that the same words coming out of a different mouthpiece resonate with republicans.
Incognito,
Can you please give us your version of Ron Paul’s message minus any opinion of the message? I’m curious to see if the message reached you properly.
To All:
I think that the people, who receive Ron Paul’s message properly, like the message and would vote for whoever is putting forth that message.
In the case of the country as a whole, Ron Paul’s message was not put forth properly by the major media, so the majority of Americans did not hear the message in its purity.
The mainstream media pays no attention to creatures of virtue like Ron Paul because the mainstream media is nothing more than a glorified tabloid, and news about someone behaving with good intentions is not “quality television.” Remember as well that mainstream media companies have an agenda of their own.
William, this is really the most pertinent question. People I have spoken to that claim to not like Ron Paul’s message repeat it back to me as supporting drug-use, prostitution and “surrender.” Even though none of these are even remotely in his platform.
Colin,
I agree 100%
Can you believe who view it as “surrender?” That is laughable!
Didn’t we win when we destroyed Saddam’s regime?
Wouldn’t withdrawal after a victory be a more accurate term?
Ron Paul’s exit strategy is:
“Declare victory and come home. Leave no occupying forces.”
If we, the American people, are to pay the taxes to support occupying forces, what makes sense is to nationalize industry of that occupied nation. Occupation brings the eventual nationalization of industry. However, instead of nationalizing the industry, corporations with “pull” have privatized the Iraqi industry in a blatant act of piracy and given the act a label of benevolence — “creating stability in the region.”
I’m sure some people voted for Mr. Lawson because of his views but don’t discount the large section of the voting population who walked into the voting booth, clueless as to what either of the candidates stood for, saw the names “BJ Lawson” and “Augustus Cho” and voted for the name they liked the best.
My guess is that Mr. Lawson will get chewed up in the fall, again by a similar group of uneducated voters who see the names “BJ Lawson – Republican” and “David Price – Democrat” and vote for the party they like the best (or hate the least) – and who use the names as a tie-breaker.
A NEW HOPE
We all have been living a nightmare. A vision D. Eisenhower warned of in his 1961 farewell address to the nation. In his address, Eisenhower warned of the corruption of our government, our society, and our culture by the MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX. It seems that, as a nation, we have not listened. Eisenhower’s dire vision has become our reality. And from this fearful dream, this nation is waking. Our eyes are opening to the truth collectively for the first time. WE THE PEOPLE are finding that we have been subjugated, placated into ignorance and fear, lied to by the very people we have entrusted to preserve and protect our rights, liberties, and our constitution. Many will turn away in fear of truth and close their eyes once again. To open our eyes to this reality, is to also understand that we are all responsible for it as well. complacency and dependence upon the machine keeps THE PEOPLE in line because it is convenient and safe. We have sold our souls. We have as a nation let this happen to ourselves.
My heart breaks for the people of this nation. Our government wages war upon our freedoms, liberties, and our constitution. I watch our republic’s destruction, not to the sound of guns or bombs, but to the sound of thunderous applause of those held captive by terrified patriotic blindness, guided by the propaganda of fear, as we give our rights and even the lives of our fellow man for the profit of the corrupt. A fear that is erasing our great history of freedom and repeating itself 70 years later with another dictatorship of war, under the guise of homeland security and the protection of the people.
BUT THERE IS STILL HOPE.
With love and openness, we can overcome ignorance and fear. It is our right as the people, and my duty as a United States MARINE written into our constitution by our founding fathers, entrusted to us, by the people, to ensure that our liberty, freedom, and the constitution never again become the subjugation of the corruption that we have wrought upon ourselves. We must take back our country, and give it to the people. So let us open our hearts, take responsibility, and make our HOPE become our reality. Lets begin REVOLUTION. His name
Dr. Ron Paul
The solution to solving our Government Abuse problems can be found in the reason for the weird voting.
BJ’s message WAS similar to Paul’s. However, BJ had the advantage of the gift of gab. Not meaningless rhetoric, mind you. He’s just more eloquent than Paul. You know, less jittery eye movement and fewer “eh”s and “um”s.
Also, don’t forget that BJ distributed 10,000 copies of the Constitution. A brilliant marketing move, in my book. That’s a gift almost no one can turn down—regardless of party affiliation. Plus it creates an automatic brand for him. You hear “Lawson,” you think “Constitution.” Not a bad association.
“Also, don’t forget that BJ distributed 10,000 copies of the Constitution. A brilliant marketing move, in my book. That’s a gift almost no one can turn down—regardless of party affiliation. Plus it creates an automatic brand for him. You hear “Lawson,” you think “Constitution.” Not a bad association.”
That’s pretty freakin’ ingenious right there.
Thank you for your response.
Your argument assumes that if they supported Ron Paul they would have voted for him in an election he has been widely advertised as ‘unable to win’ when their vote might have more impact used elsewhere, in their minds.
I no longer vote for the lesser of two evils, but did so as recently as the last Presidential election. I am very familiar with the thought process of ‘not wanting to throw your vote away.’ I have over and over again heard people who want Ron Paul to win say they won’t vote that way because they want [fill in the blank: to stop the Dems/to stop McCain].
Even after McCain was annointed presumed nominee, Ron Paul is getting significant numbers of votes, and the Ron Paul Republicans are doing very well.
I think that is the point, myself.
spinnikerca, this is also really important. I can’t tell you the number of people in my life who said they would vote for Paul “if he could win.” People said this months before the first primary! Every time I heard it, I wanted to smash a brick into my head. This isn’t Vegas! We aren’t placing bets on the winner – we’re supposed to vote for who we like the best.
Those who voted for Lawson were not voting for the Ron Paul philosophy. They did not know Lawson shared the Ron Paul philosophy. Lawson’s mailings and commercials did not mention any Ron Paul philosophical topics, other than the line that we can all agree with “return to a constitutional federal government”. They were pleasant mailings and ads with little mention of any issues. He outsepnt his opponent, based on information from the FEC website. Money bought the election, plus the fact that some, not knowing anything about either candidate, could not bring themselves to vote for someone with a foreign name. The 4th district was drawn by the NC legislature while David Price looked over their shoulders to make sure he liked the voters being put in his district. Price will win re-election handily.
*Shock!*
You mean the lawmakers abused their monopoly on making laws, and rigged the system? I thought this was impossible!
Ironically, there’s no better way to throw away your vote than to vote for the “lesser of two evils”. You’re throwing away your vote unless you vote for the person that represents your views.
Sally: I get those emails too and have heard a few of his speaches. Although I don’t think he mentioned RP, he certainly spoke/wrote a fair amount on similar economic and constitutional issues.
I agree that his Ron Paul supporters and the money that came with it has a lot to do with his success though. I expect that there are many republicans who voted for him just because he was a republican and was the assumed front runner because they recognized his name from all the road signs that have been all over the place for the last few weeks. I saw only a tenth or less as many signs for Cho. And they didn’t start showing up till only 2 weeks ago. If I was an ignorant partisan voter (like many are) I would have voted for Lawson just because from the fact he was a republican and I had seen his name all over town. If I hadn’t been following this race, I probably wouldn’t even have known who Cho was.