Nu kastar även Ron Paul in handduken. Han har sannerligen inte fått den uppmärksamhet han förtjänar i det republikanska primärvalen – inte heller på denna blogg. Trots att han haft mycket klokt att säga både om USA:s roll i världen och om den federala statens växande makt över delstaterna. Landets politiska balans vilar nämligen tryggt på konstitutionen och som ingen annan har han bokstavstroget försvarat de över trehundra år gamla ursprungstexterna.

De senaste veckorna har Ron Paul även fått lite medvind i jakten på konventsdelegater. Nu senast i Maine där han vann 21 av 24 delegater – trots att Romney egentligen tog hem segern i det icke-bindande valmötet (”straw poll”) i februari.

Enligt Pauls uttalande i kväll kommer han fortsätta arbetet fram till och under konventet. Men primärvalskampanjen är över för hans del och åtta huvudkandidater blev till slut bara en.

Läs hela uttalandet:

”As I reflect on our 2012 Presidential campaign, I am humbled by the supporters who have worked so hard and sacrificed so much. And I am so proud of what we have accomplished. We will not stop until we have restored what once made America the greatest country in human history.

This campaign fought hard and won electoral success that the talking heads and pundits never thought possible. But, this campaign is also about more than just the 2012 election. It has been part of a quest I began 40 years ago and that so many have joined. It is about the campaign for Liberty, which has taken a tremendous leap forward in this election and will continue to grow stronger in the future until we finally win.

Our campaign will continue to work in the state convention process. We will continue to take leadership positions, win delegates, and carry a strong message to the Republican National Convention that Liberty is the way of the future.

Moving forward, however, we will no longer spend resources campaigning in primaries in states that have not yet voted. Doing so with any hope of success would take many tens of millions of dollars we simply do not have. I encourage all supporters of Liberty to make sure you get to the polls and make your voices heard, particularly in the local, state, and Congressional elections, where so many defenders of Freedom are fighting and need your support.”