Is Ron Paul Mitt Romney's Winning Hand in the 2012 Election?

Representative Ron Paul (R-Texas): He's the fiscally responsible candidate for smaller government and is unabashedly a dove when it comes to foreign policy.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney: He's the millionaire businessman. He's for medium-sized government and is hawk-ish, much like the GOP base.

So what makes these two a possible “odd couple” maybe even on the same GOP ticket?

The New York Times recently reported the two men are going hard to earn delegates for their respective campaigns, but they have also built up a strong friendship.

Apparently, you can have a friendship and go at each others' throats, too. The two men forged an unlikely bond during their grueling wars on the 2008 presidential campaign trail. Between then and now, their families — starting with their wives, Ann Romney and Carol Paul — became friends. It's been documented during breaks in the Republican presidential debates this winter that the two men have been catching up. 

It's actually refreshing to see this. Seeing two men that can have some different points of view work together to bridge the gap is great.

Even though they are not always politically on the same page, Paul is beginning to quietly silently stump for Romney. On the debate circuit the last couple of months, the Texas representative has attacked former Senator Rick Santorum on many issues — chiefly among them, being a fiscal conservative. He fell short in coming to Romney's aid in South Carolina — when Paul labeled Gingrich and Santorum, "ant ci-pitalists." 

It stands to reason that Romney is politically courting Paul to get a rub based on the Texas representative's uncanny knack for gathering the younger vote. The possibility of this partnership could have Romney's campaign infused with energy — something he sorely lacks. Paul is really in an interesting catbird seat. Even though he won't win the GOP nomination, he has the best chance of gathering the independent and moderate voter — the ones who would abstain from voting in this year's presidential election should any of the other three candidates represent the Republican Party sans Paul. It stand to reason that the one thing Romney has lacked in his national political profile is overall general acceptance. Could someone like a Ron Paul help tip that in the positive for Romney?

I believe it's Romney's best chance to unseat Obama come November.

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