Jeff Smith: Why is Ron Paul Staying the Course?

He’s staying in the race for three reasons: 1) to get himself – and son Rand – decent speaking slots in Tampa, and 2) to keep building a fundraising list that he can bequeath to Rand; and 3) to build field lists in all 50 states that Rand can use in a 2016 or 2020 presidential run.

I bet no first time national candidate in history will start out with as many yard-sign locations than Rand – not even rock-star candidates like HRC and Obama in 2008.

Given the above, it’s kind of sad to watch all these middle and working-class small donors get fleeced, but hey, like Paul says, it’s a free country! (Just not quite free enough for his taste.)

(Cross-posted, with permission of the author, from Politico’s Arena)