Paul's Presidential Run Leads to Trouble Back Home

Kucinich, in his sixth term in Congress, suspended his presidential bid -- he also ran in 2004 -- in January to focus on his House race, where he has four challengers in the Democratic primary, though Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman, who calls Kucinich an "absentee congressman," has raised more money than the others.

Challenger: 'Republican of Convenience'

Back in Texas, Peden, a CPA and city councilman in Friendswood, Texas, said Paul's national campaign has awakened voters in the 14th District to exactly how much of a firebrand Paul is.

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"He's a lifelong libertarian," Peden said in a telephone interview recently. "He is only a Republican of convenience, not a Republican of conviction. He's a libertarian who runs as a Republican because a libertarian can't get elected in this district."

Despite calls from his supporters, Paul insists he will not run for president as an independent. But he has pledged to continue his Republican presidential bid, knowing full well that the odds -- and delegate math -- are now firmly against him.

Peden is attacking Paul for missing votes in the House while he campaigned for president, not spending enough time in the 14th District and most important, for choosing ideological high ground over doing the job of a congressman, which is enacting legislation.

"I don't believe that one person can get elected and go to Washington, D.C., and radically change the Congress, but what I can do is begin to bring conservative ideas and incrementally get us back to some of these core principles that the Republican Party was so successful utilizing," Peden said.

Lauding Paul

All this does not mean that Peden -- who, while he said he is not a wealthy man, has put $150,000 of his own money into the race -- does not respect Paul.

A year ago, Peden wrote a laudatory letter about Paul and his decision to run for president -- a letter Paul reads at campaign events.

"I do believe he is a man of principle," Peden said. "I just don't agree with all of his principles -- the ones that oppose the war on terror are naive and dangerous and don't make us better and stronger as a country."