Libertarian Contenders Vie for Paul’s Seat

Texas Rep. Ron Paul's decision not to run for his thirteenth term in Congress is apparently music to the ears of some of his stalwart supporters-but not in the way you may think.

A slew of Libertarian Party candidates have announced their intentions to vie for the Republican's seat, which he has held since 1997. Paul is running for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination and is considered the most libertarian-leaning candidate in the field, and in fact was the Libertarian Party's presidential nominee in 1988.

"Dr. Paul has served honorably for 12 terms as 'the Libertarian' representative in Congress," Libertarian Party of Texas Chair Pat Dixon said in a statement released Wednesday.

"The Libertarian Party is proud to offer the voters of District 14 a representative in Congress who will continue to uphold the same principles to which Dr. Paul has remained committed, and that are completely absent in the Republican and Democratic parties."

Competing for the job is Jefferson County party chair Amy Jacobellis, Texas State Libertarian Executive Committee member Eugene Flynn and Bob Smither, who ran unsuccessfully for the seat former Rep. Tom DeLay's resigned amid scandal in 2005.

Paul's 14th district is slated to be remapped before next year's elections to include more Democratic areas. Under the plan, his district would go from an R+18 district to an R+9 district.