October 3, 2007 - Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, the outspoken libertarian White House hopeful often dismissed by his rivals and the punditocracy as a fringe candidate, was all smiles Wednesday as he bandied about the first-in-the-nation primary state, New Hampshire.
"It's pretty exciting!" he told ABC News.
Long treated at debates as the cantankerous old uncle you don't want to get started talking about the gold standard, Paul had big news. Announcing a relatively astounding haul - $5.1 million - in the fundraising quarter that ended Sunday, Paul is knocking on the door of the top-tier candidates in the race.
"It's really fascinating," Paul said, seeming as surprised with the news as was much of the rest of the political world. "I think the time is right. People are really frustrated - frustrated with both parties, frustrated with the war."
Paul's campaign announced Wednesday afternoon that the congressman from Texas had raised more than $5 million - twice as much as he raised in the last quarter. Almost every other candidate hit the traditional third-quarter lull in the summer and raised less money.
While Paul's haul is likely less than that of better-known Republicans, such as former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who have not yet reported third-quarter numbers, it's roughly what Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is estimated to have raised, and five times what former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee brought in.
