Despite being ignored by the mainstream media, Texas Congressman Ron Paul continues to make progress in his campaign for the nomination as the Republican candidate for President. Ron Paul is becoming very popular on the Internet where he is doing most of his campaigning. His supporters have claimed that, following the first Republican presidential candidate debate, the number one search term on Google was Paris Hilton and the second most used search term was Ron Paul.

Now comes news that filings with the Federal Election Commission show that out of the ten candidates running for the Republican nomination for President, Ron Paul came in fourth in terms of funds raised during the second quarter of 2007 (the period April 1 - June 30, 2007). Not only did he come in fourth in terms of cash raised but edged past Senator John McCain in terms of money in the bank at the end of the second quarter.

Granted the $2,357,423 that Congressman Paul raised in the second quarter is small change compared to the current front runners in both parties, but was still more than was raised by the campaigns of Tom Tancredo, Sam Brownback, Duncan Hunter, Mike Huckabee, Tommy Thompson or Jim Gilmore in the Republican race as well as more than was raised by Joe Biden, Dennis Knucinich or Mike Gavel in the Democratic race. Further, while the other candidates in both parties are spending madly to attract supporters and donors, Congressman Paul has only spent $646,000 of the close to $3 million he has raised this year so far. Finally, and even more remarkable, over half of the nearly $2.4 million Congressman Paul raised in the second quarter was from small donors giving $200 or less. His message of small government and avoidance of foreign entanglements is obviously striking a chord with increasing numbers of people.

Whether he wins a place on the Republican ticket in 2008 or not, Ron Paul can still have an impact on the election. With a field of ten candidates, the margin of victory for the winning candidate will probably be slim and votes siphoned off by Paul could easily be the difference between a candidate coming in first or second thereby forcing some of the leaders to embrace some of Paul's libertarian views in an effort to court his votes. Further, Paul's combination of growing campaign contributions and minimal spending means that he can afford to stay in the race long after the other minor candidates and weaker leading candidates, like McCain, drop out. He may not win a primary but, as the field narrows, he could be formidable force for the front runner to consider. Even after both parties have nominated their candidates, there is still the Libertarian Party to consider. Ron Paul ran for President on the Libertarian ticket in 1988 and, while he has so far shown no inclination to return to the Libertarian Party, his campaign could make enough people aware of a libertarian alternative to the two major parties that they cast their votes for that party as a protest against the policies of the other two parties.

The Republican Party which, from the second half of the twentieth century to the present has presented itself as the party that supports the idea that government should be smaller, is the logical home for libertarians. However, the party's actions are often contrary to its ideals. Studies by the Cato Institute indicate that as many as 17% of people who vote regularly hold libertarian views and that they are often forced to express these views at the ballot box by voting against rather than for a candidate. If the candidate is the incumbent the seek to get rid of her or him with an anybody but vote, while if neither are incumbents it becomes a lessor of two evils vote. Hence the shifts in votes from election to election. Rather than shifting their support to the other party or candidate and sharing the views of that party or candidate, these voters are simply voting against the other candidate or party. Further, since the goal is less government, isn't the so called gridlock that results from neither party being able to win enough races to be able to enact its agenda a substitute of sorts for a smaller and weaker government?

Given that 17% of votes cast is often more than the margin of victory in many elections, the Republican party would do well to listen to Republican Congressman Paul's message and court his supporters.