Born: August 20, 1935
Paul, who garnered .5 percent of the vote as the Libertarian presidential candidate in 1988, is one who takes a contrary view or action. During three different stints in Congress over the last 30 years, the Republican congressman opposed granting President Bush the power to wage war in Iraq, he voted against the Patriot Act, and the Medicare/prescription bill in 2003. His staunch Libertarian perspective also frequently make him the only nonconformist on many bills that have bipartisan support. However, some views he has championed since he was first elected to the House in the late 1970s -- like term limits and the abolition of the income tax -- have gained mainstream support. Other views, like a return to the gold standard, have not.
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