Texas Congressman Ron Paul, a contender for the 2012 Republican presidential primary, is scheduled to make a speech Friday afternoon at LSU’s Union Theater. The event will kick off Paul’s national “youth movement” campaign and is open to the public. Afterwards, Paul is expected to announce that his state headquarters will be located in Baton Rouge. Kyle Aycock, president of LSU’s Youth for Ron Paul, says interest is building for the first-come, first-serve event. Those interested in attending can register here and print a voucher, which can be traded for an entrance pass in Free Speech Alley in front of the Union from 2:30-4 p.m. the day of the event. Paul addresses the public at 4:45 p.m. “This event tells other freedom-loving students that they can come to LSU and make a difference on their campus that is reflected in the national debate,” says Aycock. To be sure, Paul has a respectable foothold in Louisiana already. According to the latest campaign finance figures available from the Federal Elections Commission, Paul has raised nearly $43,000 in Louisiana this election cycle. That’s compared to the $54,000 drawn in by President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign. Among Louisiana Republicans, Paul is second only to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who has raised $62,000 in the Bayou State. In its side-by-side comparison, the FEC only lists candidates with more than $100,000 in their accounts, not counting personal funds. Former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer in Baton Rouge, another Republican making a play for the White House, has $95,660 in net receipts so far and about $20,000 in the bank. Then there’s Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who recently entered the race for president roughly a month ago with the backing of fellow GOP Gov. Bobby Jindal. While Perry has not yet been included in the FEC’s breakdown, he does have more than $175,000 in cash in his federal account. As for the Romney-Paul money contest in Louisiana, the divide appears different if you take into account only donations from the Baton Rouge area, where Romney has raised $15,000 to Paul’s $5,700, based on the FEC’s latest reports. Overall, Louisiana has contributed $228,000 to presidential candidates this cycle, of which $174,000 went directly to Republicans. —Jeremy Alford
Today’s poll question: Which GOP presidential candidate do you think resonates most with Louisiana voters?
