(CNN) – The GOP nomination may appear to be in Mitt Romney's reach, but Texas Rep. Ron Paul isn't leaving the race without knocking his rivals at least one more time.
In a new 30-second ad set to begin airing in Texas Tuesday, Paul hits Romney, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich as collectively unfit to go up against President Barack Obama in November's general election. The six-figure buy was a mix between cable and broadcast airtime.
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The ad, called "Vote Texas," begins with an announcer laying out the options for Republicans: "Let's get this straight. We're debating between a big spending, debt ceiling raising fiscal liberal, a moon colony guy, a moderate from Massachusetts or a Texan with a real plan to balance the budget."
The slam against Gingrich – that he's the "moon colony guy" – comes with a "Photoshopped" image of the former House speaker in a space suit, floating around the moon.
The announcer continues, pushing Paul's platform of reigning in spending and slashing the federal debt.
"Get with it people, only one candidate will stand up for Texas. Ron Paul isn't playing games. Five federal bureaucracies gone. A trillion dollars cut, year one. Get Washington off your back," the announcer says before labeling the candidate a "big, bold Texan."
The assertion that Paul "isn't playing games" is supplemented with an image of an Etch A Sketch, a reference to a March remark from a Romney campaign aide that the GOP frontrunner would shift focus in the general election.
In a statement accompanying the ad's release, Paul's National Campaign Chairman Jesse Benton said the buy was indication of how important Texas was in selecting the GOP nominee.
"Texas has 152 delegates up for grabs on May 29th, keeping the race for the Republican nomination open," Benton said. "Ron Paul is competing hard in his home state of Texas, and we expect that Texas conservatives will reject flip-flopping Massachusetts moderate Mitt Romney and the debt ceiling raising fiscal liberal Rick Santorum."
Paul currently represents Texas' 14th Congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives, and has represented the state on and off since 1975.
Also see:
Poll: Nearly three-quarters of Republicans see Romney as nominee
Romney: I speak with Gingrich more than Santorum
Romney campaign pulls negative ad while Santorum halts campaigning
From CNN Politics
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He's just wasting my time till he switches to Independent. Who is more important? Americans as a whole or Republicans?
No republican in modern history has reigned in spending and cut the national debt. Paul's ad is a bit far fetched.
Romney is a Phony
You Repubs need to get with the program
No Ron Paul supporter is voting for Mitt
Ron Paul 2012
If you support lying at every turn, changing sides on issues, pandering to the crowd, political double-speak and dishonest statements, then Mit Romney, Rick Santorum or Newt Gingrich is your guy.
ONLY Ron Paul can turn America around and ONLY Ron Paul deserves your vote.
It is fixed Ron Paul can only keep spreading his message the people are going to have to wake up and just take back Washington, Doctor Paul can only spread the message now. As George Carlin said the system is rigged people. Good luck Doctor Paul and thanks for all you have done. Now we the people best wake up and get moving the last nail quoting Dr. Paul is been driven into the Republic.
Ron Paul is toast! He's just wasting his donor's money.
Ron Paul is the change Obama was talking about. There is still time to get it right America !! God bless Texas and remember the Alamo !! The eyes of the country are upon you. Make us proud !!!
Ron Paul and nobody else 2012 !!!!
ron Who??? seems to me all your ron Paul supports say the same thing word for word, nice script!!!
Big, bold Texan? More like delusional, old anarchist!
How would you like to get your ENTIRE paycheck everytime you get paid?
Ron Paul 2012
You are either voting for a Goldman Sachs sponsored candidate intent on perpetuating our decline or voting for a Patriot that will defend and restore our Republic. A no brainer for anyone paying attention.
If the Republican Party nominates a draft-avoiding, crony-capitalist, anti-gun, pro-choice, socialized-medicine candidate over a strict free-market Constitutionalist who served his country and carries our his political office with integrity, then the Republican party might as well change its symbol from an elephant to a wooly-mammoth now because that party will become extinct.
The problem is that there are far too many services that protect the citizens that Paul is willing to cut. The market won't fix everything. What happens when the highway system starts to fall apart because there is no gas tax to pay for it? Will Paul reinstate that? What about safety for food inspection and drug reviews? Is the market place going to do that or focus on profits? Ron Paul needs to get more than the young people thrilled about his ideas because the young typically aren't registered to vote; if they are, they don't vote.