"Special interests have replaced the concern that the Founders had for general welfare. Vote trading is seen as good politics. The errand-boy mentality is ordinary, the defender of liberty is seen as bizarre. "

Libertarian Republican Hates Taxes!

Congressman Ron Paul is a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the 14th congressional district of Texas. Paul believes in limited constitutional government, low taxes and free markets. Unlike most Republican politicians, he voted against both the Patriot Act and the Iraq War. He favors American withdrawal from NATO and the United Nations.

Paul was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Gettysburg College and the Duke University School of Medicine, before serving as a flight surgeon in the U.S. Air Force during the 1960s.

While at Dormont High School, schoolmate Carol Wells asked Paul to escort her to a sweet-16 Sadie Hawkins party, which was their first date. They kept in touch while at college, and at a 1956 park picnic before his senior year at Gettysburg, Paul proposed marriage to Wells. They were married on February 1, 1957, at Dormont Presbyterian Church.

The couple moved to Texas in 1968, where Paul began his medical practice in Brazoria County. As a specialist in obstetrics/gynecology, he has delivered more than 4,000 babies.

In 1974, Paul became a delegate to the Texas Republican convention and a Republican candidate for Congress. Incumbent Robert R. Casey defeated him in the 22nd district of Texas. After President Gerald Ford appointed Casey to head the Federal Maritime Commission, Paul won an April 1976 special election to fill the empty seat. Six months later, Paul lost a close general election to Democrat Robert Gammage. But Paul defeated Gammage in a 1978 rematch and won again in 1980 and 1982.

Talking about support for Paul, Gammage said "I had real difficulty down in Brazoria County, where he practiced, because he'd delivered half the babies in the county. There were only two obstetricians in the county, and the other one was his partner." Paul continued to deliver babies on Mondays and Saturdays during his entire term as the 22nd district representative.

In 1984, Paul ran for the U.S. Senate instead of re-election to the House, but lost the Republican primary to Phil Gramm. He returned to full-time medical practice and was succeeded in the House by Tom DeLay, formerly a Texas state representative.

In the 1988 presidential election, Paul defeated activist Russell Means, an Oglala Sioux, to win the Libertarian nomination for U.S. president. As the de facto leader of the Libertarian Party, Paul gained support for his positions on gun rights, fiscal conservatism, homeschooling and abortion.

After the election, Paul had a coin business and began his own think tank called the Foundation for Rational Economics and Education. He also published an investment newsletter and continued his medical practice until he returned to Congress, in 1996.

Paul was re-elected to Congress in 1996 after defeating trial lawyer Charles "Lefty" Morris. It was the third time Paul was elected to Congress as a non-incumbent. Paul served on the House Banking committee, and consistently voted to lower or abolish federal taxes, spending and regulation. Paul has long been an advocate of dramatic reduction in the size of the federal government and a return to constitutional principles.

Ron and Carol Paul have five children, all baptized Episcopalian: Ronnie, Lori, Rand, Robert, and Joy. Three of the children have followed their father in the practive of medicine: Robert specializes in family practice, Joy in ob/gyn and Rand in eye surgery.

The Pauls live in Lake Jackson, Texas.