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WASHINGTON (CNN) – Will Ron Paul give it another go in 2012?

The Texas congressman and hero of limited government advocates will visit the key early primary state of South Carolina on Nov. 9 to deliver a speech "on the future of individual liberty and the importance of the U.S. Constitution" at the University of South Carolina, student groups said Tuesday. The announcement comes a week after Paul scheduled a visit to Iowa on Nov. 13 to speak to students at Iowa State University.

The onetime Republican presidential hopeful finished in fifth place in last year's South Carolina primary, behind Mitt Romney but ahead of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Other potential 2012 candidates - including Mike Pence, Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee - have already visited South Carolina this year or have made plans to do so.

Paul's appearance was organized by the University of South Carolina Honors College, the Carolina Debate Union and Young Americans for Liberty, a student group of Paul supporters.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Conservatives will descend upon the nation's capital Friday for the 2009 "Values Voter Summit," the fourth annual gathering of like-minded political activists who will plot 2010 strategy and hear several potential presidential prospects discuss the GOP's future.

In-between speeches, attendees will also participate in forums with titles ranging from “Thugocracy: Fighting The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy” to “Global Warming Hysteria.”

Perhaps the most anticipated event of the weekend will be "2012 Presidential Straw Poll," the results of which are scheduled to be announced Saturday.

The potential Republican candidates on the ballot are: former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Indiana Rep. Mike Pence, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.

Romney won a similar straw poll in February at the Conservative Political Action Conference, which was held at the same hotel and featured many of the same speakers. Romney also won the last Values Voter straw poll - in October 2007 - when he narrowly defeated Huckabee in a vote that was open to both attendees and people who signed up to vote on the internet. This year’s survey will only be open to conference-goers.

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(CNN) - For some families, like the Kennedys, the Bushes and the Roosevelts, politics runs in the blood. But as history shows, coming from a powerful political family doesn't mean a free ride to the top.

"It does help, and it hurts. It's a two-edged sword," said Doug Wead, a presidential historian and former adviser to President George H.W. Bush. "It initially helps the candidate with name recognition and more importantly with fundraising ... but many vote against the child as well."

The children of political families inherit a treasure chest of contacts, campaign workers and often endorsements, but the benefits have their limits.

Only two presidential sons have followed their fathers to the White House (John Quincy Adams and George W. Bush), and just one presidential family - the Bushes - has sent sons to the governor's mansion (Jeb Bush in Florida and George Bush in Texas).

"I conclude that a brand name - a famous family name - is typically worth one step up on the political ladder," said Stephen Hess, a senior fellow emeritus in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, who has researched and written about political dynasties dating back to colonial times. "They get one step up - and they are on their own."

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(CNN) - The phrase "like father, like son" is ringing true for Texas Rep. Ron Paul.

His son, Rand Paul, announced this week he's set his sights on the Kentucky Senate seat being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Jim Bunning.

"I'm very worried about our country; I'm worried about the debt. I'm worried about what the debt will lead to," Paul told CNN when asked why he's jumping into the political arena. "Both sides of the aisle - Republican and Democrat - have been unwilling and afraid to address the deficit, and someone's got to."

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(CNN) - Former GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul told CNN what he thinks about "Ron Paul Singles" - the recently-launched dating site where fans of the Texas congressman can connect over life, love and the merits of the gold standard.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Minutes before President Obama's address to the American Medical Association on Monday, Rep. Tom Price unveiled the GOP response, charging that the president's plan would take medical decisions out of the hands of doctors and patients.

"Where are medical decisions going to be made?" he asked reporters on a conference call.

There is little evidence veto power over medical decision-making has been an element of the current plans being discussed on Capitol Hill, but Price said that element would be a consequence, intended or not, of a new public option. "Any plan that results in a government takeover of any portion of it will push the crowd out, those in the plan who have personal private health insurance, into that government-run program," he said.

(CNN) – A combative Lindsey Graham got into a sharp back-and-forth with some audience members at the South Carolina GOP convention on Saturday as he made the case for an open-tent Republican party.

According to The State newspaper and video posted on YouTube, the South Carolina senator told the convention he wants to build a party that can compete in Pennsylvania and Connecticut as well as in his home state.

“You’re a hypocrite!,” one man in the audience yelled.

“I’m a winner, pal,” Graham retorted. Moments later, after saying he wants to the party to reach out to independent voters, he said: “Winning matters to me. If it doesn’t matter to you, there’s the exit sign.”

The crowd in Columbia also featured some Ron Paul supporters who offered several libertarian resolutions during the convention that were rejected by the state party.

During his speech, Graham told the audience, "Ron Paul is not the leader of this party." That remark drew a few jeers, with several people yelling, "Yes he is!"

“I’m not going to give this party over to people who can’t win,” Graham responded.

(CNN) – The son of former Republican presidential hopeful Rep. Ron Paul said Monday that he is primed to mount a bid for the Kentucky Senate seat currently occupied by GOP Sen. Jim Bunning.

"I am very serious about running for Sen. Bunning's seat if he decides not to run," 46-year-old Rand Paul told CNN.
"Until he makes a final pronouncement, I'm trying not to do anything formally but I'm very close to making a decision."

The younger Paul's views closely resemble those of his conservative father.

"I think the bank bailout was a huge mistake," Rand Paul said Monday. "We should not have the U.S. government buying stock in American industries – the financial industry or any other industry. Most of that money could have probably been burned in a furnace for all the good it's done." The Bowling Green, Kentucky ophthalmologist pointed to the federal government's support of embattled global insurance giant AIG, calling the company's "worthless" despite the billions in aid given to it since last fall.

Like his father, the son also favors notions of limited government. "Libertarian would be a good description," Rand Paul told CNN, "because libertarians believe in freedom in all aspects of your life – your economic life as well as your social life as well as your personal life."
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(CNN) – Texas Gov. Rick Perry took heat last week after appearing to leave open the possibility of secession, but fellow Texas Republican Ron Paul says the notion is "very American."

"It is very American to talk about secession. That's how we came in being. Thirteen colonies seceded from the British and established a new country. So secession is a very much American principle," Paul said in a video posted on YouTube.

The self-professed libertarian, who garnered a substantial grassroots following when he ran for president last year, stopped short of endorsing secession for his home state, but said the idea is "worth a discussion."

"What about all the strong endorsements we have give the past decade or two to all the republics that seceded from the Soviet system? We were delighted about it," Paul also said.

(CNN) - The head of the Missouri Department of Public Safety has apologized to U.S. Rep. Ron Paul and two other former presidential candidates for a state law enforcement report linking militia groups to the candidates. State officials killed the report late Wednesday.

The report connected the three to often-armed militia groups by saying militia members are "usually supporters of former presidential candidates Ron Paul, Chuck Baldwin and Bob Barr."

Paul, a Republican congressman from Texas, unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination for president then announced his support for other third-party presidential candidates. Baldwin ran for president on the Constitution Party ticket, and Barr was the Libertarian Party's presidential candidate.

The report, prepared by the state's Information Analysis Center, was sent to police departments around the state. Public Safety Director John Britt said the intelligence report, was intended to "identify certain traits that are sometimes shared by members of militia groups."

But it generated controversy when a copy of the report was leaked publicly.

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WASHINGTON (CNN) – Ron Paul says he may not make a third run for the White House.

The Republican congressman from Texas was asked by CNN American Morning anchor John Roberts if he plans to make another bid for the presidency in 2012. "I don't think so,” said Paul. “I'm not planning on that. It's a long way off. I hardly can visualize what the country is going to be like then."

Paul was a GOP presidential candidate in the 2008 campaign cycle. He also ran for the White House as a Libertarian candidate in 1988.

He tied for third place with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in a presidential preference straw poll of conservatives attending the annual Conservative Action Political Conference this past weekend in Washington. Former Massachusetts governor and 2008 GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney came in first in the straw poll, followed by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.

While Paul was non committal on running again, the 11-term Congressman said his political organization continues to grow.

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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (CNN) - Former presidential candidate Ron Paul criticized President Obama's economic recovery proposal, but said Saturday that blame for the financial crisis is deep-seated and includes Republicans who failed to hold the line on spending during the Bush administration.

He also offered a harsh critique of the three Republican senators who have said they will vote for the economic recovery proposal. A vote is scheduled for early next week.

Paul, a Republican congressman from Texas who unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination for president, said that while some people call Obama's plan to jumpstart the economy a "stimulus package" he thinks it is a "pure spending package,"in a new video message posted on YouTube.

Paul did praise his fellow House Republicans for unanimously voting against the plan, but expressed disappointment that three Senate Republicans "caved in and went with the Democrats."

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(CNN) - Watch Rep. Ron Paul and Ralph Nader as they discuss what they think is wrong with the two-party political system and why they think third parties should get more attention in political dialogue.

Related: Paul urges voters to skip McCain, Obama

(CNN) - Republican Ron Paul is bucking his own party and urging his supporters to vote for third party candidates, at an event at the National Press Club.

Watch Ron Paul's event on CNN.com/live

Earlier: Ron Paul to announce presidential endorsement plans

UPDATE: This event has ended, but stay with CNN.com/live for all the day's events on the campaign trail.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Texas Republican Rep. Ron Paul will call on supporters to back a third party candidate for president Wednesday, rejecting his own party’s nominee and offering equally harsh words for the Democratic candidate.

Paul, who unsuccessfully sought the Republican presidential nomination, will tell supporters he is not endorsing GOP nominee John McCain or Democratic nominee Barack Obama, and will instead give his seal of approval to four candidates: Green Party nominee Cynthia McKinney, Libertarian Party nominee Bob Barr, independent candidate Ralph Nader, and Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin, according to a senior Paul aide.

The announcement will take place in the morning at the National Press Club in the nation’s capital.

While Paul failed in his bid for the Republican nomination, he found a large, diverse audience for his anti-war and anti-tax messages. The Texas congressman’s campaign was fueled by a successful on-line grassroots fundraising operation. Throughout the campaign, Paul supporters called on others to join the “Ron Paul Revolution.”

Paul will offer this open endorsement to the four candidates because each has signed onto a policy statement that calls for “balancing budgets, bring troops home, personal liberties and investigating the Federal Reserve,” the Paul aide said.

(CNN) – Rep. Ron Paul may have one more foot soldier in his "revolution" to protect the Constitution - former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura.

Ventura on Tuesday spoke at a "counter convention" for the Texas congressmen and libertarian presidential candidate in St. Paul, Minnesota, the site of the Republican National Convention.

"There were about 14,000 to 15,000 people there," Ventura told CNN's John Roberts on American Morning Wednesday. "That bodes well for the people who believe our Constitution has been violated too long." The former marine and pro wrestler accused both Democrats and Republicans of violating the Constitution "whenever the need serves them to do so."

"Revolution's in the air," Ventura said, a reference his book "Don't Start the Revolution Without Me."

Although Paul's new political action committee is trying to attract like-minded candidates for Congress, Ventura told Roberts he plans to remain in the private sector and try to carry out his own "revolution" from there.

While Republican delegates rallied in St. Paul, thousands of Ron Paul supporters cheered him on in Minneapolis. Photo credit: Jeremy Freeman/CNN

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ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) – Texas Rep. Ron Paul said Tuesday that he was told he could go to the Republican convention floor under restricted conditions, but he'd have to pick up his pass at the gate and he couldn't have any guests.

"Republican congressmen should have a pass to the floor but they said, 'Your pass will be at the gate and we'll pick it up when you leave and you can't take anybody with you," Paul said on CNN's "American Morning."

Supporters of the former Republican presidential candidate are holding their own counter convention in Minneapolis. The "Rally for the Republic" marks the official start of Paul's new political action group, the "Campaign for Liberty."

More than 10,000 tickets to the rally have been sold. Tucker Carlson, Jesse Ventura and Grover Norquist are among the speakers who will appear before Paul, who is scheduled to address the rally at 8:05 p.m. ET.

Paul said his rally will be a positive event that focuses on the issues he thinks other Republicans ignore -"the spending problems, the deficit, our foreign policy, our national defense, our monetary policy."

"We're Republicans – we believe in limited government and personal liberties. We ought to be talking about these things," he said.
Paul has been critical of presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain and Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee.

Asked if there is anything to like about the presidential contenders, Paul said "not a heck of a lot."

"I like it when they shift their positions, but then you don't know where they are," he said sarcastically. "John McCain used to be for taxes – now he's against taxes. Obama talks about less military intervention, but he's the first one to say we should increase the troops in Afghanistan."
Paul did have kind words for Sarah Palin, McCain's vice presidential pick. He said he was "delighted" to hear she said positive things about him in a recent interview.

"I hope she puts the right kind of pressure on our platform," he said.

St. Paul, MINNESOTA (CNN) - The convention for former Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul will go on as planned, the campaign said Sunday, despite the RNC’s decision to truncate their program.

With Hurricane Gustav approaching the Gulf Coast, Republicans announced that they would hold an abbreviated session Monday and determine the rest of the week’s schedule on a day-by-day basis.

Paul’s campaign said it decided to stick with their schedule because it didn’t want to have to turn down the 10,000 people expected to attend the three-day event.

The “Rally for the Republic” kicked off Sunday with a training class for those interested in learning the skills needed to be an activist, according to the convention’s Web site.

Monday’s schedule includes musical performances from Rockie Lynne‚ Aimee Allen‚ Mark Scibilia and Rick Ellis, and late-night speech by Paul.

The main event takes place Tuesday at the Target Center in Minneapolis. When planning for the event began earlier this year, it was originally scheduled to take place at the University of Minnesota, but due to a “strong initial response,” it was moved to The Target in Minneapolis, which can house up to 18,000 people.

Speakers Tuesday include NBC’s Tucker Carlson, former Minnesota Gov. Jesse and another appearance by Paul.

The rally will officially launch Paul’s new political action group: the “Campaign for Liberty.”

"The Rally for the Republic will send a powerful, positive message to the Republican Party that there is an army of grassroots activists across the country ready to work with them if steer back to their traditions of limited government and personal liberty," said Campaign for Liberty spokesman Jesse Benton.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Rep. Ron Paul's wife was hospitalized Monday at a Houston-area hospital, a spokesman for the Texas Republican confirms to CNN.

"Carol Paul has been taken ill and is currently in the Critical Care Unit at a Houston area hospital," Jesse Benton, Paul's spokesman, said in an email statement to CNN. "She has had several abdominal surgeries and remains in serious but stable condition. Dr. Paul appreciates the outpouring of concern and good wishes during this difficult time."

Benton did not name the hospital or provide further details about the hospitalization.

Paul unsuccessfully sought the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, developing a loyal following among people who support limited government as well as among anti-war activists. Paul was the only Republican presidential candidate who opposed the Iraq war.