Libertarian Presidential Candidate Steve Kubby Endorses Ron Paul

Fort Bragg, CA -- Citing overwhelming support from his own party's members
and lackluster response to Libertarian presidential campaigns, Steve Kubby
today endorsed US Representative Ron Paul's campaign for the Republican
Party's 2008 presidential nomination. Kubby, a candidate in his own party's
presidential contest, made the endorsement in an interview from his home in
Mendocino County, California.

"I am not, and have never been, a Republican," says Kubby, 60, best known
for his work for cannabis legalization and on behalf of medical marijuana
patients. "For me, the Libertarian Party has always been, and remains, our
last best hope for achieving freedom through the American political process.
And until recently my position was that the Libertarian Party needed to
stick to its own guns, stake out its own territory. But sometimes a special
situation comes along."

Recent polling shows Paul garnering the support of about 70% of LP members
-- and the LP's front-runners, including Kubby, clustered together in the
2-3% range among those same members. That polling, Paul's much higher media
profile, and fundraising reports showing that Paul has raised nearly 100
times as much money as any of his Libertarian competitors, convinced Kubby
that this is just such a situation.

"I'm still running for president," says Kubby. "My campaign's first
television commercial will debut shortly. I'm continuing to debate my
opponents, attend public events as a candidate, and appear on talk radio to
make my case. There are important things that need to be said, and I'm
saying them. Dr. Paul and I disagree on some issues that I want to skyline,
and I firmly believe that I'm the best candidate to represent the party next
November. But when 70% of your own party believes so strongly in a candidate
that they're willing to cross party lines to support him at least until he's
out of the running, you owe it to them to back their play."

Kubby states that if his fellow freedom activists' long-shot bet pays off
and Ron Paul becomes the Republican nominee, he will withdraw, ask the party
to nominate "None of the Above" at its national convention, and work as a
volunteer on Paul's general election campaign. "And I'm urging my fellow
Libertarians to approach this in the same way," he says. "But at the same
time, I'll continue preparing to give the LP the best presidential campaign
I can give it if that doesn't work out."

Web references:

Source interview: Release: Kubby endorses Paul

Kubby for President

Ron Paul 2008