Voters in Iowa are finally heading to their local caucuses Tuesday evening, and some of the Republican presidential candidates are attending the caucus events to give last minute speeches in an effort to sway any undecided Iowans to vote for them.
Texas congressman Ron Paul attended the Ankeny, Iowa caucus event Tuesday night. He attempted to counter the negative criticism he has received from rival Republican candidates regarding his foreign policy views.
Several of his rival candidates, including Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich have attacked Mr. Paul’s stance regarding the Middle East, and his notion that the U.S. should try to remove its military presence there.
Mr. Paul told the Ankeny, Iowa caucus goers that his foreign policy views are supported by the actual troops who have been on the ground abroad, evidenced by their substantial financial contributions to his campaign.
“If you look at the donations that come from active military people, I get twice as much as all the other candidates put together,” said Mr. Paul. “That sends a powerful message, they know being over there fighting these wars, not winning the wars and dragging em out. Ten years in Afghanistan, 4 trillion dollars of debt that they’ve accumulated over these past years.”
Mr. Paul has consistently been characterized as the candidate that can’t attract mainstream Republicans. Throughout the campaign season, political analysts have called him the “libertarian candidate.” Ms. Bachmann has been his harshest critic regarding his views on U.S. foreign aid and U.S. military presence in the Middle East.
The Texas congressman’s proof of campaign donations attempt to deter that notion that his foreign policy views are “dangerous,” as Ms. Bachmann said.
“The lives that we have lost and the people coming back injured and post dramatic stress syndrome and we’re having an epidemic of suicide. If we care about our military we will be much more cautious about how we go to war,” said Mr. Paul. “We want a conservative constitutional government which means that government is small, the people are large, people assume responsibility for themselves and believe me the world and our society would be better off.”
Early caucus results show that Mr. Paul is in a tight race with Mr. Santorum and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.
