Reince Priebus Now Courting Ron Paul Supporters

On Tuesday, the Associated Press reported that RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, who suddenly faces a challenge from Maine Republican National Committeeman Mark Willis in his bid for a second term, “has sought out Paul supporters as he seeks re-election.” 

The relationship between the Republican establishment and Ron Paul supporters within the GOP has been at times volatile over the past year, and until now Priebus has not proactively sought out support from the Ron Paul-Libertarian side of the party. 

But Libertarian minded activists, many of whom supported Ron Paul, have gained ground as part of the Republican leadership in several states recently. In addition to Nevada, and Maine, they’ve had success in Iowa, Kentucky, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, and Minnesota.

In Iowa, Drew Ivers, who was Ron Paul’s campaign chairman during the 2012 election cycle and is now the finance chairman for the Iowa Republican Party, is looking for leaders who can promote the Libertarian ideas captured in the Ron Paul campaign. As he told Reason Magazine recently, “[w]hether it’s Rand Paul or someone else, I have allegiance not to them, but to their ideals. Whoever steps forward to lead that charge is the kind of leader we should champion.”

The election for Republican National Committee Chairman will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina next Friday, January 25.