Ron Paul’s pastor brother keeps eye on race

c. 2007 Religion News Service GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. _ David Paul is the assistant pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church here and never was much for politics. This year, however, he feels as if he has a ringside seat. That would be thanks to his younger brother Ron, whose maverick campaign for president is upstaging many […]

c. 2007 Religion News Service

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. _ David Paul is the assistant pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church here and never was much for politics. This year, however, he feels as if he has a ringside seat.

That would be thanks to his younger brother Ron, whose maverick campaign for president is upstaging many of his more staid GOP rivals.


It does not surprise the pastor that Ron Paul, a 10-term Texas congressman, holds his own debating the likes of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Arizona Sen. John McCain.

“I always told people that we had some pretty interesting discussions in our house,” said David Paul, 73, recalling the five boys raised by Howard and Margaret Paul in Pittsburgh.

“Nobody was telling us what to think or how to think. We went our own way and did different things.”

David Paul last saw his brother at a family reunion in August, but he continues to track his progress in every GOP debate. “We are very proud of what he has done and what he has accomplished,” he said.

Ron Paul, 71, has defied conventional wisdom with a populist, anti-war, libertarian message that is finding a grass-roots audience.

While once-presumptive front-runner McCain is virtually broke, Paul has more than $5 million in the bank. Propelled by a lively Internet buzz, much of his money comes from thousands of small individual contributions from around the country.

Paul has drawn attention largely for his feisty debate performances, where he has staked out a vocal stand against the Iraq war, domestic surveillance and the intrusions of big government. That often puts him at odds with a GOP field that can sound programmed by comparison.


But Paul admitted that even he has been surprised by the velocity his campaign has gained.

“We have gone so much farther and faster than I thought would have happened,” he said in a phone interview.

David Paul recalled that each of the boys learned early on they would have to earn their way in the world.

As their father built a dairy business from scratch, they lived in a four-room house with one bedroom shared by five boys. “There were some pretty crowded conditions,” he said.

Their father’s education ended at eighth grade. But all five boys are well-educated.

Wayne, the youngest, has a master’s degree in accounting. Jerrold has a doctorate in counseling. Ron, the middle brother and politician, is a former obstetrician. David, the pastor, has a bachelor of divinity degree. William, the oldest, has a doctorate in math.

On a bulletin board at Trinity Lutheran, there is a newspaper clipping of a photo of the GOP candidates at a recent debate in Dearborn, Mich. An arrow points to Ron Paul with a note that reads: “Pastor David’s brother.”


David Paul is proud, but he is enough of a realist to understand that his brother’s candidacy is a long shot. Some of his stands _ he favors repeal of most federal drug laws _ put him on the political fringe. He barely registers in national polls.

But on the whole, David Paul thinks his brother is on the right side where it counts.

“On Iraq, I am in total agreement with him. We shouldn’t have been there. We should get out of there.

“If it’s not in the Constitution, we shouldn’t be doing it.”

(Ted Roelofs writes for The Grand Rapids Press in Grand Rapids, Mich.)

KRE/PH END ROELOFS

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Photos of David Paul and the Paul brothers are available via https://religionnews.com.

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