Revving up for Super Tuesday, Texas Rep. Ron Paul will turn up the heat this week in western caucus states — all places Paul has visited or is scheduled to make campaign stops in this week.
[Romney Spokesman Calls Ron Paul a 'Serious Competitor']
"Of the Super Tuesday states, we have been focusing on Idaho, Alaska and North Dakota, which are all caucus states where we have the highest likelihood of gaining a lot of delegates," says Gary Howard, the campaign's spokesman.[See pictures of the 2012 GOP candidates.]
There are a total of 87 delegates up for grabs in those three states.
An Idaho Republican spokesman says Paul has made more campaign stops in Idaho than any other candidate, attracting impressive crowds along the way.
"There is no doubt Ron Paul has a very strong grassroots organization here," the spokesman says.
GOP strategist Ron Bonjean says Paul is wise to focus time and attention on caucus states, which attract large volumes of Paul supporters and allow them to leverage their enthusiasm into more votes for the congressman.
"He has shown strength in those western states," Bonjean says. "The more delegates he earns there, the more powerful he becomes, even if he doesn't win."
Bonjean isn't predicting Paul will sweep the West, but says with every delegate earned, Paul earns more power for the GOP convention.
Bonjean adds even if Paul performs poorly on Super Tuesday, his campaign will continue the quest for delegates. [Is Rick Santorum More Electable than Mitt Romney?]
"Paul measures success differently than the opposing campaigns. He looks like he is really enjoying getting a lot more attention than he ever has regarding his issues. His not winning doesn't seem to stop him from staying optimistic."
Paul is the only GOP candidate left in the race who has not won a state primary or caucus.
In upcoming days, Paul will spend time in Alaska, the only candidate to do so this election cycle.
But, even with his focus out West, Paul is not ignoring possible delegate conquests elsewhere. Paul's campaign spent Tuesday night in Virginia, a state Paul could do well in, considering only he and Mitt Romney are on the state's ballot. Paul has also spent time in recent weeks campaigning in Oklahoma.
Paul's campaign released details Wednesday of the campaign's first Super Tuesday ad buys. The ad, "Plan," highlighting Paul's campaign promises. will begin airing in Vermont Wednesday and run through the state's Tuesday primary. [Mitt Romney Edges Out Rick Santorum in Michigan Squeaker.]
"The airtime purchases and forthcoming buys elsewhere advance the delegate-attainment strategy that will help Ron Paul win the Republican nomination as we continue along this exhaustive 50-state campaign, a race we are prepared to stay in and win," says Jesse Benton, Paul's National Campaign Chairman.
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TheRightManForThePresidency of MS 10:05PM March 01, 2012
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