GOP Establishment Candidates Target Ron Paul

MASON CITY, Iowa — The Republican presidential candidates sharpened their criticism of Representative Ron Paul on Tuesday in an effort to keep his support from growing among voters who are frustrated with government and may be inclined to send a message to the Washington establishment by supporting him in the Iowa caucuses.

Newt Gingrich said Mr. Paul, of Texas, was a “protest” candidate, and that he could not vote for the congressman if he won the party’s nomination. In a television interview, Mr. Gingrich, the former House speaker, declared that Mr. Paul’s “views are totally outside the mainstream of virtually every decent American.”

Rick Santorum warned conservative voters to carefully study Mr. Paul’s record, telling a crowd here: “Think about having a guy running for president who is going to be on the left of Barack Obama on national security.”

A week before the Iowa caucuses open the Republican nominating contest, the candidates are in a final push to win over undecided voters. With Mr. Paul facing attacks, an army of his supporters began arriving to bolster an aggressive ground operation and persuade voters across Iowa to attend the Jan. 3 caucuses.

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They are getting nervous... :-)