(CNN) - Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, who's surged to the top tier in Iowa in recent weeks, said he doesn't expect to finish lower than second place in Tuesday's Iowa caucuses.
"I may come in first. I may come in second. I doubt I'll come in third or fourth," Paul said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union." "I would say the people are with me on this, and the momentum is going to continue regardless of what happens and what place I am Tuesday night."
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According to a new Des Moines Register poll released Saturday night, the latest and final major poll before caucus day, Paul is battling for the top spot with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Paul came in second with 22% to Romney's 24% support among likely GOP caucus goers, a margin within the sampling error.
Those results mirror a CNN/Time/ORC International poll out Wednesday, which also showed Paul statistically tied with Romney.
Paul's Republican opponents have taken aim at the Texas congressman as he's moved to the front of the pack in Iowa, criticizing his non-interventionist views on foreign policy and less aggressive stance on Iran's nuclear development.
They've also pounced on newsletters published under Paul's name in the 1990s that included controversial remarks regarding race.
Responding to the attacks, Paul said he's been consistent on his views compared to his rivals, who he claimed are "struggling" to find ways to attack him and are now "demagoguing the issues."
"They've been all over the place. They've been flip-flopping and they can't defend themselves," Paul told CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley. "They're having a little trouble finding any flip-flops on me, so they have to go and dig up and distort and demagogue issues."
Paul hasn't entirely ruled out a third party White House run but said Sunday he is not considering the option as of now.
"I'm essentially tied for first place. Why would I even consider doing anything like that?" Paul said. "I have no plans of doing it. We're doing very, very well. People should just be a little bit patient."
Also see:
Poll: It's still Romney vs. Paul in Iowa
Marathon man Santorum in a final sprint to the finish line
Gingrich's 'great experiment'
Santorum's closing argument on Iowa TV
Watch State of the Union with Candy Crowley Sundays at 9am ET. For the latest from State of the Union click here.
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It has become blatantly obvious that the Republican Party wants to re-elect Obama for another 4 years. Because if Ron Paul doesn't get the nomination? I guarantee you that is exactly what will happen. I am 56 years old, I've done my homework, the rest of the candidates have absolutely no credibility and will say or do anything to get elected. That much is crystal clear. I haven't voted in more than 25 years because I refused to vote for the lesser of two evils. I WILL be voting this year. For Ron Paul.
The presstututes are working overtime in their efforts to marginalize, mock and smear Ron Paul. They are in full panic mode, and they have the anti-Paul propaganda machine running in overdrive.
Please help Ron Paul counter-punch the attackers by donating to the Ron Paul money bomb. Visit his official website: http://www.ronpaul2012.com/
Let's make this a truly Happy New Year by supporting the only man who will really change anything in Washington.
Listening to Ron Paul today, it does not matter what position he will finish with. The man is more than a "King Maker". The failure or success of GOP now lies in the hands of this man. He should be handled with care. Forget about Sarah Palin or Herb Cain. They are only cheer leaders BUT Ron Paul is more than that!
An upside surprise win for Paul with a large proportion of Independent and Democratic support would create a very interesting environment. Objectively, that would destroy the "unelectable" myth, leaving only the racism allegations to be fully repudiated by a fair/balanced/thorough investigation of the man, his views, and his actions as a sum total. Then, Ron Paul's foreign policy views will receive singular attention, and we will FINALLY have a worthwhile political debate in this country, one which is much more evenly divided than the establishment would like to admit.
Ron Paul may win the GOP nomination. However he will NEVER be POTUS. Obama 2012!
Romney, Gingrich are all the same as voting for Obama, they try to talk the Conservative language, but their records show the opposoite on how they actually voted. Romney is for Government Health care with a Mandate, gay marriage, etc, while if we look at Ron Paul, he voted against tthe Health Bill, aggainst TARP, for MLK Day, Against China as favored trading nation, please educate yourself prior to voting and forget the media rhetoric and research how each candidatee has voted in the past. As the old sating goes, if we do not learn from Histoyr, we are doomed to repeatt it.
I like the ideas of Ron Paul but he needs to be more polished and confident
my pick would be Paul.
Ron Paul is a WACKO
Two must reads for 2012. theruggedgent.com. a great site put together by a bunch of expats, and Along the Naktong by Joshua Lorenzo Newett a novel about the existential crisis in which the modern individual finds themselves
Happy holiday~ Its great to find others who are as tall as me and share similar experiences! ->Ｂiｇtａllｓ. C Q M <- is a fun place to meet other tall people online. It makes the world seem smaller! – Free to browse and join for serious relationship. You dont have to be tall, but you can meet one.
If Romney gets the nomination, it's a certain indication that U.S. citizens are happy with the status quo and not serious about making serious changes. A vote for Romney is a vote for the same as what we have now – big government, no accountability, no transparency, all laws written to benefit the rich, increase in poverty, and diminishing middle class.
Ron Paul could win, quick move the count to a secret location.
Ron Paul is America's only hope for real change for the better.
The establishment of both Republican and Democratic parties voted to de-industrialize the United States, at the bequest of their handlers. Both parties voted to send U.S. manufacturing overseas, resulting in a loss of 30 million American jobs. Ron Paul voted against "most favored Nation status" for China. He is the only candidate truly representing the American people.
Ron has a real chance. The underlying theme in Iowa (and elsewhere) is some may pick who they consider the most radical candidate because they are not entirely happy with any of the GOP hopefuls. I know many won't agree. What would really help Ron Paul is if he referred to the President as "President Obama" so as not to continually put off some voters. It would also puts more of a polish on his campaign that his controversial past is behind him. Be presidential.
Ron Paul will win in Iowa.
@Aditya He is beyond confident, however polished? Really. why does that even matter a little bit. Please people cast aside your Platonic view of a president and focus on the issues and the depth with in.
@Aditya He is beyond confident, however polished? Really. why does that even matter a little bit. Please people cast aside your Platonic view of a president and focus on the issues and the depth with in.
As a Democrat in a general election, I would vote for Obama over Paul. I will say tho that of all the Republican's running, Ron Paul is the only one that is an honorable and principled man.
Ron Paul is right. The momentum is building year by year. It's amazing how the fight for freedom is increasing. We'll be the majority in the next few election cycles regardless of whether he wins this time or not.
Thank you Ron Paul for giving the younger generations a new love for their history and future!
It does not matter who gets the nomination. None of the " front runners" can take Obama. Unfortunately for the GOP ers they did not back Huntsman, the only one who could make even the most hardened "democrats" pause before voting. Maybe repubs will find RP a more "appealing" option, but that's where it stops.
It is not just his opponents, the MSM is going after Paul with full cannons loaded. They are all running so scared of having a truly honest intellectual in office.
ron paul does sound like a breath of fresh air, but there still some issues that needs to be addressed...for example, like the release of those newsletters, how can he not know what was in it... how can he become president when he doesn't know whoever he choses as his administration, not know what is going on... and the book he realeased which talks about racism, the disabled and other minorities,..will he deny those also...??? i am not so sure of him becoming president...this is a pure case of denial on his part..check out this scenerio, a nuclear weapon is aiming at the U.S., he will sit back and say that the nuclear weapon from either Iran or North Korea is IRREVELANT... he has to remember that a lot of our so call influence in the foreign nations has taken its toll, and we are welll hated out there.. and he cannot just pull out the troops from all over the world and just say we won't get involved... WE ARE ALREADY INVOLVED, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, WE NEED TO BRING OUR STATUS DOWN LITTLE BY LITTLE...As far as small government, then why do we need a president or congress...??? please explain yourself Ron Paul!!!!
Top two finishes in 50 states then he will run as libertarian