California GOP Hearts Ron Paul

So I guess I might have mentioned before that I am a California native living as an expatriate here in southeast Texas. I may have also mentioned my admiration for Californians as being mostly Democratic, and they even have a hefty number of progressives out there.

But it is now obvious to me that just as California’s left tack a little further left through their progressive component; it also seems that California’s right tack a little further right through their Libertarian component. The John Birch Society, after all, has its roots in deep red Orange County.

Obvious to me because of this new California GOP straw poll (they are meeting in a statewide convention in LA this weekend) that has Dr. Ron Paul far in the lead of those who they want to be the Republican nominee for President of the United States.

No, really. I pinched myself to see if I was dreaming. Paul garnered 44.9% of all votes cast in the straw poll compared to Rick Perry’s 29.3%. Darn near two to one. And why is this such welcome news? California, the country’s most populous state, has the most convention delegates, by far than any other state. What would have made this sweeter is that California used to be a “winner take all” state in the Republican Party. But it is still pretty sweet that Ron Paul arrives at next year’s GOP convention with a near-majority of California delegates in his pocket.

And don’t believe I want Paul to win the nomination, Perry would be a far more entertaining candidate in an intellectual debate with my President. If Paul got the nomination it will ruin the fun because he actually speaks very well. He’s a smart guy.

Smart, yes. But as cracked as the Liberty Bell.