Status: Running
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ron Paul moved to Texas in 1968, where he set up a medical practice specializing in obstetrics/gynecology (Dr. Paul boasts he has delivered over 4,000 babies). There, he ran for Congress and won in the late 70s and, as a Republican, served until 1984, when he voluntarily relinquished his seat and returned to his practice.
His retirement from politics wouldn’t last long, however. In 1988, he publically changed his registration from Republican to the Libertarian Party, and in that same year, he ran for president on the Libertarian ticket, ultimately receiving 431,750 votes.
After his presidential bid, Paul switched his registration back to Republican, and won back his seat in the Texas 14th Congressional District in 1997, a seat he still holds. In the House of Representatives, Paul serves on the Financial Services Committee (as vice-chairman of the Oversight and Investigations subcommittee), the International Relations committee, and the Joint Economic Committee.
Besides his legislative duties and outspoken advocacy of a strict adherence to the Constitution, Rep. Paul has also published a number of books, among them Challenge to Liberty, The Case for Gold, and A Republic, If You Can Keep It.