(Image source: The New York Times )

 

 

BY ZACH TOOMBS

 

 

In January, Mitt Romney was the first to claim victory in the Iowa presidential caucus.

One recount later — Rick Santorum was named the winner. But now it seems neither candidate will benefit most from their neck-and-neck finish. Fox News has the story.

 

“The Iowa GOP convention was yesterday, and guess who won. Texas Congressman Ron Paul.  He was able to win 21 of 25 delegates up for grabs, despite finishing third in the caucuses in Iowa in January.”

 

Those 25 are free to vote for any candidate at the Republican Convention. So, how did Paul go from a third-place finish in Iowa to top dog in delegates? Des Moines’ KCCI says his supporters have mastered arcane rules to grab top spots at state conventions.

 

“The power struggle between those supporting Mitt Romney and those who still back Ron Paul came to a head. There were several emotional exchanges between the convention chair and members of the audience.”

 

Paul ended active campaigning in May, and he says he won’t compete with Romney for the party’s nomination. But his agenda is alive and well. The Los Angeles Times calls his Iowa success …

 

“…part of a quiet strategy by Paul and his backers to amass an army of supporters at the GOP gathering in August in Tampa, Fla., to push Paul’s views on liberty, states' rights, the monetary system and foreign policy.”

 

Paul supporters in Iowa have faced their fair share of pushback. NPR quotes one of the few delegates not in Paul’s corner, who says ...

 

"So far, we've already had two different candidates that are declared a winner. If we go to national with a third candidate ... we are going to look ridiculous and we will lose our first in the nation (status).”

 

And The Des Moines Register interviewed senior Paul adviser Doug Wead — who says a future Libertarian candidate could benefit from Paul’s strong showing. That candidate might be Paul’s son, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul.

 

“...if Rand decides to follow in his father's footsteps and run for president in 2016 (as Wead believes he will), ‘he's in a much better place to do it because of Dr. Paul's campaign this time around’...”