Ron Paul supporters bolt Rand camp

As he pulls together his expected presidential campaign in Iowa and New Hampshire, Sen. Rand Paul is confronted by defections from an unexpected quarter: the die-hard idealists whose energy powered his fathers campaigns.

That network of committed supporters was expected to convey to Paul, the natural successor to Ron Pauls libertarian movement, providing him with a plug-and-play ground organization in the make-or-break early voting states. But instead of embracing the Kentucky senator, many of those grass-roots activists are turning their backs on him, disillusioned by the younger Pauls concessions to mainstream politics.

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One of the most prominent defectors is Drew Ivers, chairman of Ron Pauls 2012 Iowa campaign, who says he will not endorse Rand Paul for president. On Tuesday, three members of Iowas Ron Paul-aligned Liberty movement state Sen. Jason Shultz and former Iowa Republican Party central committee members Chad Steenhoek and Joel Kurtinitis announced the same, adding that they will support Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Ivers said he does not plan to endorse any candidate.

Sen. Rand Paul continues to have tremendous support from the vast majority of the liberty movement, said Sergio Gor, communications director for the Paul campaign.

Shultz had endorsed Ron Paul in 2012 and Kurtinitis served as his Iowa regional director. Steenhoek worked for Newt Gingrichs Iowa campaign but was sympathetic to Ron Paul, who endorsed Steenhoeks subsequent bid to serve on the state central committee.

Ivers, who had dinner with Rand Paul in August, said the Kentucky senator has abandoned many of the stances that made Ivers loyal to his father.

Hes moderating on most of them, not taking a real clear stance on a number of them, said Ivers. The strategy of sending a blended message is one that has risk.

That was never an issue for Ron Paul, whose uncompromising ways and willingness to operate on the margins relegated him to the sidelines of national politics. Even at the height of his national influence and popularity in 2012, the Texas congressman proved unable to win the popular vote in a single state and never seriously contended for the GOP nomination in several tries.

Rand Paul, by contrast, won statewide office in his first try and has established himself as a viable presidential candidate with a talent for taking the movements liberty message to a broader audience.

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Ron Paul supporters bolt Rand camp