Campaign Insiders Say Ron Paul Primed for Strong Showing in Missouri Caucus

Most casual followers of the GOP primary race are probably unaware of the fact that Missouri is holding caucuses throughout the state between Tuesday, March 13 and Saturday, March 24. Previously, the state held a “beauty contest” primary on February 7, which was won by Rick Santorum. The primary did not award any delegates, unlike the upcoming caucuses. Heading into the caucuses, operatives within Ron Paul's Missouri campaign are confident of a strong showing. Dr. Paul's campaign is organized and enthusiastic, drawing supporters from all walks of life. On March 10, Ron Paul spoke at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri in front of over 2,500 supporters. College kids, teachers, active duty military, middle-aged professionals, and the elderly were all in attendance to show their approval of Paul's message of fiscal reform, peace and liberty. For the record, I should note that 2,500 is approximately the number of votes Dr. Paul received in St. Charles in the Primary, which was essentially a meaningless straw poll that cost the state seven million dollars. That's right. You know, the one the media covered and pretends matters? The one that Rick Santorum won? Meaningless! All that matters is the caucuses being held throughout the state between March 13 and March 24. Campaign insiders are suggesting that Dr. Paul, because of his deeply rooted and widespread support system within the state, is primed for a very strong showing. Some might think it's crazy, but Paul may even win Missouri outright. Let me break down the mechanics a bit further. Typically, in Missouri, caucus goers elect a slate of delegates. These delegates go on to cast their votes at the Congressional District Convention and then the State Convention on June 2 in Springfield, Missouri. The Ron Paul Campaign in Missouri has formed its own slates of delegates in each district of Missouri. Insiders are predicting a massive turnout of Ron Paul enthusiasts. Furthermore, they will be educated about the caucus process and prepared to vote for their slate, so no caucus mischief, trickery, or ram-rodding will be a possibility. As a casual viewer of Fox News or CNN, I would be expected to believe that Rick Santorum's victory in the Missouri Primary was some how meaningful, and that Missouri's delegates have been decided. In fact, this is totally untrue. Despite the fact that there have been few national reports covering the upcoming Missouri caucuses, they are critical for the Missouri GOP and the four remaining Presidential candidates. It is also important to note that Missouri, Iowa, Colorado, and many other states have a caucus system where the delegates are not necessarily obligated, or “bound” to any candidate. In these states, the final day of reckoning will come at the State Conventions, most of which won't be taking place until June. Unfortunately, because of the convoluted GOP primary process, most Americans do not have a clear understanding of just how the Republican opponent of President Obama will be determined - the situation in Missouri, where a charade primary was held prior to the official caucus, is reflective of this confusion.