Ron Paul: Donald Trump Is 'Arch Enemy' of GOP (Update 1)

Updated from 2:05 p.m. reflecting Trump's official endorsement of Romney

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Ron Paul's presidential campaign blasted Donald Trump Thursday just as the real estate magnate endorsed Mitt Romney for the Republican nomination.

Paul took Trump to task for his previous endorsements of Democrats Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. Charles Rangel. In an email to reporters, Paul's team plastered a photograph of Trump under the headline "Donald Trump to Endorse Harry Reid," as it ridiculed the self-proclaimed Republican for his varied political history.

"Please explain to us why anyone would care," the email said. "Please explain why [Nevadan voters] should consider the opinion of a billionaire from New York who endorsed the arch enemy of all Republicans in Nevada, and really the enemy of all Republicans in the U.S."

The email, and Trump's endorsement of Romney, comes two days ahead of the Nevada caucuses, where Paul's campaign expected to compete for one of the top two spots in the contest.

The latest polls from Nevada have showed Paul in third place behind Romney and Gingrich, but state GOP Chairwoman Amy Tarkanian said in an interview that she thinks Paul and Romney would be the top two vote-getters.

-- Written by Joe Deaux in New York.

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