Tampa, Florida (CNN) - The always-vocal supporters of Ron Paul made one final push to support the Texas congressman's bid for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination Tuesday, and in the process made their displeasure at the GOP establishment known as official proceedings at the Republican National Convention got underway.
Paul's supporters shouted and booed when rules were adopted as part of the Republican Party's official platform that would hinder the kind of grassroots campaign that carried Paul to the national convention.
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The booing turned to cheers, however, when Paul stepped out onto the convention floor. Shouts of "let him speak" broke out from his supporters, who are fervently loyal to the libertarian congressman who is making his third and, he says, final bid for the presidency.
When their candidate received any delegates in the state-by-state roll call, Paul's supporters delivered loud cheers. However, convention organizers ultimately made a decision to stop calling out the Paul delegates.
More: Paul supporters protest through convention halls
That decision was met with furious cries from Paul's supporters, who said their voices weren't being heard at the Republican Party's official gathering. When states listed delegate votes for both Romney and Paul, party officials at the podium listed only the votes assigned to Romney, who secured enough delegates Tuesday to officially clinch the GOP nomination.
At one point, delegates from Maine walked off the convention floor in protest of a Republican National Committee decision to replace 10 of the 20 delegates Paul had secured in the state. That move prevented Maine from submitting Paul's name for nomination.
"I wanted to see the chairman keep it fair," Tom Bronza, a delegate and Ron Paul supporter from Pennsylvania, told CNN. "I just wanted to see the yeas and nays on the rolls. I knew it would be close. I wanted to record the numbers and wanted the chair to announce it. He didn't. I am disappointed in that. But that's the way the cards fell."
Bronza said the treatment from national Republicans toward Paul supporters had him seriously weighing whether he would vote for Mitt Romney in November.
"The way I was treated here today, I felt like I was picked on a lot by a number of different people, so I'm not too happy about that, and you know, if I was well received and no shenanigans, I would have considered it in November," Bronza said.
From CNN Politics
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Sounds like the Ron Paul people need to start a parallel campaign for write-in votes. With enough votes, it might be enough of an embarrassment to the GOP that they will try to be more responsive in the future. RP can't win, but then he's always been in it to make his points heard.
Not surprising that the GOP would use those tactics to suppress Paul supporters. They're doing the same sort of thing with restrictive voter ID laws in several states. They will do anything they have to do to win.
I so desperately want to vote Republican but for the GOP that existed 30 year ago before it got hijacked by the conservative christian, racist, lunatic fringe. I am a fiscal conservative and social moderate who believes in personal responsibility, denies the culture of victim-hood, but the GOP of today gives me absolutely no place to be. The American Taliban masquerading as the TEA party needs to have their own party rather than moving the GOP so far to the right as to be un-electable on a national stage. Give me a pragmatic truly old school Nixon Republican who does not bow down to the so called Neocons who sadly make up the GOP base and I'd vote for him / her. Until then, Obama is my choice.
This goes to the heart of what the Republican Party has become. We welcome everyone into our big tent – when you agree to play by our rules.
Is this man for real? I think it scares the real bankers etc. Alex Jones needs to be listened to! Between Alex & Paul maybe the USA could be temporarily saved
I also will be voting for Ron Paul along with my wife.
Ron Paul never stood a chance of getting any recognition. His supporters are just too dumb to understand that fact. They are Republicans, and in November they are going to vote Republican regardless of what they say, which proves that their claims of belief in the platform of Ron Paul are just hogwash. If Paul's supporters are surprised that they were rebuffed by the GOP leadership, then they truly are dumber than I thought they were. I kept hearing how they had the delegates to take the nomination at the convention. I guess somebody forgot to tell Mitt and Company. It is now officially a Mormon circus and all those GOP christians are the clowns.
Are you frightened of this man? I'm not he rings a real bell of truth. He reminds me of all the real people that had a real heart!