Ronald Ernest Paul is a Republican Congressman from Lake Jackson, Tx., a physician, and a 2008 presidential candidate.
Originally from the Pittsburgh suburb of Green Tree, Pa., he studied at Duke University School of Medicine, and after his 1961 graduation and a residency in obstetrics and gynecology, he became a U.S. Air Force flight surgeon, serving outside the Vietnam War zone.
Ron Paul then entered politics and has since represented two Texas districts in the U.S. House of Representatives (1976–1977, 1979–1985, and 1997–present).
He entered the 1988 presidential election as a Libertarian - while remaining a registered Republican - and placed third.
Ron Paul has long been described as conservative, constitutionalist, and libertarian. He advocates a non-interventionist foreign policy, having voted against actions such as the Iraq War Resolution, but in favor of force against terrorists in Afghanistan.
He favors withdrawal from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the United Nations, citing the dangers of foreign entanglements to national sovereignty. Having pledged never to raise taxes, he has long advocated ending the federal income tax and reducing government spending in almost all cases.
Ron Paul favors hard money and opposes the Federal Reserve. He also opposes the Patriot Act, the federal War on Drugs, and gun control. Paul is pro-life, but opposes Federal laws regulating or banning abortion, advocating overturning Roe v. Wade to let states determine its legality.
Ron Paul has attracted a vocal, loyal group of supporters in his bid for the White House in 2008, and set several Internet fund-raising records, yet has lagged behind John McCain, Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee in the primaries.
He has said he will not run as a third party candidate in November.
NATIONAL[NOTE: Figures above are averages of the 3-6 most recent surveys in each area. Updated June 17]
