August 27, 2012 11:24 PM UTC

Colorado's Ron Paulistas Fight To The Last

•  
• by: Colorado Pols

FOX 31’s Eli Stokols:

Eight of Colorado’s 36 Republican delegates, all of whom supported Ron Paul, abstained Monday morning rather than pledging their support to the presumptive GOP nominee, Mitt Romney.

“We’re here because principles matter a lot more than candidates,” said Jim Gaston, an alternate delegate from near Trinidad who supports Ron Paul and refused to pledge his support for Romney. “The Republican Party platform is actually pretty Constitutional, but our candidates don’t always follow it.”

Colorado GOP Chairman Ryan Call told FOX31 that the diversity of the delegation is a positive…

The obstinacy from the Colorado delegation’s more libertarian members took place during a breakfast at the delegation’s hotel ahead of the Republican National Convention, which begins Tuesday. The breakfast also included a short speech from Matt Romney, the candidate’s second oldest son.

Originally, Colorado delegates for both Rep. Ron Paul and the victor of Colorado’s February caucuses, former Sen. Rick Santorum, declared their non-support for presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney. Allegations of shenanigans were frequent from the Paul contingent as state chairman Ryan Call was accused of keeping his thumb on the scales for Romney–all of which were disregarded, and Santorum delegates had long since given up the fight.

With this final edition of the Ron Paul insurrection faltering as prior ones have, there are two ways to summarize it: first, and obviously, they weren’t successful in seriously challenging Romney for the GOP presidential nomination. Paul’s high water marks this campaign season were placing second in the New Hampshire and Minnesota primaries. But the Paul campaign was arguably more relevant in 2012 than any prior election–an indication of growing support for Paul’s libertarian issues, or Romney’s continued weakness. Probably a little of both.

Say what you will about Ron Paul, he filled a vacuum many on the right needed.

Paul himself might have had a formal speaking slot, but he rejected two requirements: that his speech be pre-approved and that he formally endorse Romney.

He refused, telling The New York Times, “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.”

In numbers far greater than Romney would prefer, he’s not alone.