Ron Paul plans Sandpoint visit

SANDPOINT — The race for the Republican presidential nomination will make its way to Bonner County next week with a visit by candidate Ron Paul.

The Texas congressman will arrive in Sandpoint Monday morning, where he will begin his day by touring Quest Aircraft, according to event planners. Afterward, Paul is holding a town hall meeting at the Bonner County Fairgrounds. The gathering will be held in the main exhibition hall and is scheduled to begin at noon.

Paul’s Sandpoint visit will be the first in series of stops around the state preceding Idaho’s Tuesday caucus. After leaving Sandpoint, he’ll head south through the state, hitting the University of Idaho campus  in Moscow. There, Paul’s campaign staff plan to use the Kibbie Dome as the venue for the rally. Finally, the campaign train will reach its last stop for the day at the Civic Auditorium in Idaho Falls. According to the Associated Press, Paul is then expected to headline an event at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa the following day.

Idaho was friendly ground for Paul during the 2008 presidential primary, where he took 23 percent of the vote. Campaign officials hope to see that support intact as Paul makes his way through the state next week.

The candidate will be greeted Monday by supporters among Bonner County’s officials and residents alike. Bonner County Commissioner Cornel Rasor, for one, has publicly endorsed Paul.

“(The president) should be conversant in the document he is sworn to uphold — the U.S. Constitution. He should understand his powers as outlined in that document. He should be a man of commitment and peace, and he should be honest and transparent,” Rasor said. “The only candidate that meets those qualifications in my estimation is Ron Paul. He has been consistent in his principles and has not wavered in his commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of this country.”

Paul has won himself a diehard base of fans for his staunch libertarianism and consistency over his years as a U.S. representative. Local advocates met to galvanize that support at tea shop Common Knowledge on Thursday, making calls over the afternoon to ensure a healthy crowd at the fairgrounds Monday. According to Paul supporter Loyel Witte, the visit is a coup for the town.

“I think it’s a great opportunity to put our small town on the map for future elections,” he said. “This shows we have some real push in the rest of the state.”