Rep. Paul steals some thunder from frontrunners

By Sarah Zeeck

It was no surprise that Republican frontrunners Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani finished 1-2 in amassing delegates in the Republican primaries at WIU’s Mock Presidential Election on Tuesday. The surprise was that Ron Paul, a lesser-known Texas congressman, finished third ahead of more familiar names like McCain, Thompson and Huckabee.

Giuliani won the simulated early primaries with 529 GOP delegate, taking California, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania and Utah. Romney was a close second with 473 delegates and the states of Nevada, New Hampshire, Delaware, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Texas. Rep. Paul took the states of South Carolina, Connecticut, Georgia, New Jersey and North Carolina and came in third with 357 votes. John McCain and Mike Huckabee trailed the other three.

Mike Huckabee’s campaign manager Drew McConville said, “We have a strong message, but not a lot of popularity right now in the national front.”

Fred Thompson’s team garnered no delegates Tuesday. “Hopefully if we don’t get the GOP nomination, we’ll at least get the vice presidential nomination,” said James Ruppert, campaign manager for Thompson.

Giuliani supporters felt he inspired the most confidence in respect to the presidential election. “He has the best chances out of the Republicans to beat Hillary (Clinton) or (Barack) Obama,” said one Giuliani campaign manager, Brian Keller.

Thursday, the Mock Presidential Election simulates the opening of the parties’ national conventions, with a keynote speaker and efforts to draw up a campaign platform.

Zeeck is a student in Dr. Lisa Barr’s Reporting I class.