Ron Paul supporters have feuded with state Republican parties across the country, battling for delegate seats at the national convention, but the national party is welcoming Paul and his supporters to the event with open arms, even helping the Texas congressman organize his troops.
Ron Paul speaks at the Tea Party Express rally in Austin, Texas, on May 6.
The Paul campaign and the Republican National Committee have been working closely over the past few months to work out logistics in order to include the Texas congressman and his supporters in the August convention in Tampa.
“They’ve just treated us like a friend and like a coalition,” said Jesse Benton, a spokesman for the Paul campaign. “They have been honest brokers in working with us and treated us with respect.”
Paul will hold a rally with supporters Aug. 26 at the University of South Florida’s Sun Dome — a venue convention planners helped him get.
“We have worked closely with congressman Paul to secure a location for this event,” said Kyle Downey, a spokesman for the GOP convention.
Planners have also kept Paul’s platform committee delegates in the loop as they begin the process of assembling that document.
Despite this cooperation, Paul, unlike all of the other former GOP presidential contenders, has not endorsed Mitt Romney for the nomination.
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