Paul Gets in CA $wing of Things

September 17, 2007 |

Ron Paul's strong fundraising numbers provided one of the more unexpected storylines of the 2nd Quarter. Can he live up to expectations this quarter? Los Angeles -based Hotline contributor David Finnigan reports on Paul's California fundraising swing last weekend.

LOS ANGELES - For $2,000-per-ticket, L.A. donors were treated to dinner with the Texas congressman at a 62-acre mountaintop spread overlooking Los Angeles. The 9/12 catered affair - complete with an attractive wait staff which proved the Swingers movie line about L.A.'s "gene pool" - was part of a two-day, mid-week California swing in which Paul raised about $168,000.

That's not much for top-tier '08 candidates - Sen. Barack Obama earned that much from the first 73 of the 1,500 guests arriving at his 9/08 garden party at Oprah Winfrey's California estate. But U.S. Rep. Ron Paul raising $168,000 in two days this week was deemed impressive.

"For Ron Paul it is!" said surprised Dem media strategist Chris Lehane.

Paul supporters watched an L.A. sunset from the porch of the mountaintop ranch owned by a wealthy Mormon lawyer. The first day of Paul's California trip had 47 people attending a $500-per-plate breakfast at Pasadena's decidedly upscale Ritz Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa. An afternoon rally at the University of Southern California saw numerous Ron Paul posters across the campus and a large student crowd.

"I'll tell you why I like him," said 32-year-old electrician Eric Schoentag, "he's gonna get rid of the Federal Reserve!"

A post-rally, $500-per-ticket USC cocktail reception attracted 42 true believers. Paul's second day was spent in Northern California, where he attracted similar dollars at three fundraisers in the San Francisco Bay Area. The candidate seemed the most surprised by his Golden State love.

"I've been really impressed with how well we've been doing - I'm not supposed to say that!" Paul said at the USC reception, which had two carving chefs and chocolate wrapped in gold coins resembling 19th century American currency. At the registration table was a March 2007 copy of The John Birch Society's New American magazine with a Paul interview.

The campaign's Federal Election Commission filings in July reported $3 million in contribitions. The early states' focus is on the four full-time staffers in New Hampshire, which Snyder said is ripe Paul country because it has, "libertarian streaks and the old right...it's priority one.

One highlight at the mountaintop ranch's fundraiser came when the candidate and others went back out on the porch after sunset. They looked up high, into the clear night, to see a small plane over L.A. with an electronic Paul promo flashing from the plane's belly.

As one slogan appeared, the crane-necked crowd collectively read it aloud - "No National IDs!!!" [DAVID FINNIGAN]