Ron Paul's Clone army: the revolution spawns a new generation of GOP candidates in the mold of Dr. No.

• Author: Doherty, Brian
• Position: Republican Party - Essay

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As THE 2012 race for the Republican Party presidential nomination winds down, the last runner-up standing is Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. This time around, Paul has managed to snag about I o percent of the overall primary vote (as of late April), up from 4 percent total in his 2oo8 campaign. He is sure to finish no lower than fourth in the delegate count and has hopes of climbing higher as the primary season stretches out through June 26.

By holding on, and by competing most heavily in states with convoluted caucusing procedures that allow his enthusiastic supporters to punch above their voting weight, Paul guaranteed that his voice--arguing, as always, for shrinking the scope of the U.S. government at home and abroad--will be heard at the Republican National Convention in Tampa this August. Meanwhile, the candidate's ability to draw a crowd remain undiminished, with thousands routinely turning out for campus visits throughout the spring.

That said, 2012 marks the end of Ron Paul's career as a politician. He is not running to retain the Texas House seat he has held since I997, and there is no realistic chance that he will ponder another White House run in 2016 at the ripe old age of 81. The future of Paul's ideas in the GOP will depend not on him but on the voters, activists, and candidates who follow in his footsteps.

In 2008 and 2010, dozens of self-styled "Ron Paul Republicans" sought office under the Republican banner. The biggest win was in Michigan's 3rd Congressional District, around Grand Rapids, where a young lawyer named Justin Amash snagged a seat. Amash is hardcore, a guy who sometimes votes no even when Dr. No votes yes and explains his every action to constituents on Facebook. A true child of the revolution, Amash became a fan of F.A. Hayek and Frederic Bastiat while studying economics at the University of Michigan. Disgusted with the sameness of the Republicans and the Democrats, he sought and won a seat in the Michigan House of Representatives in 2008 and immediately decided to try for federal office.

But first Amash took a pilgrimage to Lake Jackson, Texas, to seek Ron Paul's endorsement. Paul, says Amash, "wanted to know I thought I could win it without him. I think he doesn't like it when people come and ask for his help who think he is going to carry them to victory just because they are big fans of his and they run as Ron Paul Republicans." Paul campaign chairman Jesse Benton says Paul likes to know any candidate seeking his endorsement could raise at least $50,000 on his own. When self-described Paul Republicans ask for help and support, Amash reports, Paul "tells them, 'Whatever percentage of the primary vote I got in your district, that's how much I can help you.'" That's usually not much; in Michigan, for example, Paul's pull in 2oo8 was just 6 percent of primary voters statewide and only 3 percent within Amash's district. Amash did not win on Ron Paul's coattails; he found an independent body of voters interested in his libertarian ideas.

The Michigan congressman was redistricted this year, so he will be facing a new constituency in 2012, but he is confident he can keep his seat. While money doesn't always win elections, as of mid-April Amash had spent more than 10 times what his two leading Democratic opponents have spent combined, some of the funds coming from Paul's LibertyPAC. Amash doesn't want to speculate about his possible future role as the national political leader of the liberty movement until Ron Paul is no longer in office or running for it, but he's clearly on the shortlist.

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There has been a flowering of hopeful Paulites on the state and local level as well. A New Hampshire Paul campaign volunteer and Air Force veteran named Jim Forsythe became a state senator in 2010. Forsythe and more than a handful of other self-conscious Paul devotees in the New Hampshire legislature, including Republican state Reps. Jenn Coffey, Seth Cohn, and Mark Warden, have successfully pushed legislation to fully legalize knives, loosen homeschooling regulations, and cut overall spending. Forsythe says candidates who are looking to follow in Paul's footsteps...