“Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul (b. August 20, 1935) is a Republican United States Congressman from Lake Jackson, Texas, a physician, and a 2008 U.S. presidential candidate. Originally from Green Tree, Pennsylvania, he has represented Texas districts in the U.S. House of Representatives (1976–1977, 1979–1985, and 1997–present). Paul placed a distant third in the 1988 presidential election, running as the Libertarian nominee while remaining a registered Republican. After his 1961 graduation from Duke University School of Medicine and a residency in obstetrics and gynecology, he became a U.S. Air Force flight surgeon, serving outside the Vietnam War zone.

Paul has been described as conservative, Constitutionalist, and libertarian. He advocates non-interventionist foreign policy, having voted against actions such as the Iraq War Resolution, but in favor of force against terrorists in Afghanistan. He favors withdrawal from NATO and the United Nations. Having pledged never to raise taxes, he has long advocated ending the federal income tax and reducing government spending by abolishing most federal agencies; he favors hard money and opposes the Federal Reserve. He also opposes the Patriot Act, the federal War on Drugs, and gun control. Paul advocates overturning Roe v. Wade; he affirms states' rights to determine the legality of abortion.

During his 2008 presidential campaign, Paul has placed competitively in Republican straw polls, though he has substantially lower numbers in landline opinion polls. He has strong Internet support, leading in web searches and YouTube subscriptions, and had the largest one-day online fundraiser in U.S. political history.
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