Don't Forget the Unsung Candidates

On the Republican side, six little-known guys sit at the bottom of the polls. I see one candidate who puts himself out fearlessly in contrast to his opponents: Rep. Ron Paul (R., Texas). Will he be able to break out from the back of the pack?

It may prove more difficult for him than for Richardson. The Republican field has recently added a new entrant -- Fred Thompson, former senator and an actor on NBC's popular Law & Order -- who has created a buzz. Mr. Thompson has surged in the polls: One here shows him even with Rudy Giuliani in the lead
-- though there is a wide margin of error.

Paul possesses a consistent and conservative record. He campaigns on a message of freedom, reduced government and non-interventionist foreign policy -- including opposition to the war in Iraq.

He is not a single-issue campaigner, like some, nor does he have the faux conservative credentials of the front-runners. You will not see ads claiming he has flip-flopped. Those ads will be rampant for Rudy Giuliani, Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.), Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson.

Furthermore, two of those front-runners won't sign the pledge from Grover Norquist -- the president of Americans for Tax Reform who is infamous for his strong-arm tactics with candidates and lobbyists -- to not raise taxes. It is essential for some conservative voters.