Presidential Candidate Ron Paul Receives Record Sum Nov. 5

Oregonians for Ron Paul must be quite tickled. On Nov. 5, their presidential aspirant, 10-term Texas Congressman Ron Paul, received more than $4 million over the internet, plus $200,000 by phone. The total, north of $4.3 million, was a record amount this year among Republicans, according to a Nov. 10 New York Times article, “The Web Takes Ron Paul for a Ride.” Interestingly, Oregonians rank high against other states in per capita contributors to the campaign

In a Nov. 7 email, Oregonian and Paul supporter Scott Sutton wrote, Nov. 5 was “an unprecedented fundraising event that was conceived and coordinated by volunteers unaffiliated with the campaign.” Further, throughout the country, more than “37,000 individuals contributed, with an average donation of $103.” Sutton took the Times statement another step, reporting, this “figure set the all-time, single-day record for contributions made to a Republican candidate prior to a national convention.”

Volunteers unaffiliated with the campaign are not resting on their laurels. This time the online fundraising effort is focused on December 16. On that day in 1773, American colonists tossed tea into the Boston Harbor to protest an oppressive tax. The www.teaparty07.com website states the people behind Tea Party 07 hope to foster “the largest one-day political donation event in history. Our goal is to bring together 100,000 people to donate $100 each, creating a one day donation total of $10,000,000.” As of this writing, the effort is heading toward 15 percent of its goal.

The volunteers’ work is paying political dividends. A recent New York Times and CBS News poll prompted the campaign to distribute a media release with the headline, “Ron Paul Surges Ahead of Thompson; Tied With McCain.”