In response to Ezra's answer to my Ron Paul ponderings yesterday, I should add that while Ron Paul is held back by much more than the primaries, my main point is that the support he does have, in this case won largely via the internet, is undermined by our bizarre primary system. While it might not be doing much for the front runners, the internet is helping lesser-known candidates win diffused support, and the primary system makes it easier for big names to dominate. Andrew Sullivan points to a map of where Ron Paul's campaign donations are coming from, via the Volokh Conspiracy, and notes how evenly spread out it is compared to other candidates, though the total is a lot less. I'm sure his internet outreach efforts have helped significantly in diffusing his support network. Does Ron Paul stand a chance of winning? Of course not. But his campaign is an interesting example of what the combination of internet outreach and a different primary system could mean for presidential campaigns in the future.
--Kate Sheppard
