Ron Paul Is Not Alone

Maverick Texas congressman Ron Paul is riding a surge of Americans on both sides of the political spectrum now calling themselves libertarians. They tend to be fiscally conservative but socially liberal voters turned off by government intrusions, from warrantless wiretapping to broadcast censorship. And their numbers are up to 9% of Americans, reports the Washington Post.

Creative types like Drew Carey, Bill Maher, and South Park creator Matt Stone support libertarian policies, as do conservative pundits Jonah Goldberg and Tucker Carlson. With 5% support in polls of Republicans, Paul is gaining followers as fast as funds, and looks in good shape to meet his $12 million end-of-year goal.