CALDWELL — Texas Congressman and Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul addressed a packed house Friday at The College of Idaho’s Jewett Auditorium.

Paul’s supporters were energetic despite the dim prospects for his candidacy. The candidate acknowledged during a brief press conference prior to his speech that Sen. John McCain will all but certainly be his party’s nominee, but said his backers’ energy is keeping him in the race.

A strict constitutionalist and fierce critic of current U.S. foreign policy, Paul spoke on a number of issues including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, health care, individual liberty and the economy.‘We’re only starting’CALDWELL — U.S. Rep. Ron Paul says he represents a return to the Republican Party’s core values: small government, low taxes, foreign policy of nonintervention and protection of individual liberties and Constitutionally guaranteed rights.

A visit to Idaho was a logical choice for the presidential candidate, he said, because of the upcoming May 27 primary and because “it’s a state that really has stood up with libertarian and classical conservative values.”

While he acknowledged he won’t likely be the Republican nominee, Paul said he plans to stay in the race.

“I keep getting asked, ‘When are you going to quit? When are you going to quit?’ And I tell them, ‘Well, it looks like we’re only getting started.’ The momentum is still building,” Paul said, drawing cheers from the audience at The College of Idaho’s Jewett Auditorium. “It’s about a lot more than me.”

Speaking to the press before his speech, the Texas congressman said even though he will likely lose, he hopes to send as many delegates as possible to the Republican convention to influence the internal discourse.

Paul’s take on what the role of government should be is simple, he said: Adhere to the constitution and protect individual liberties.

Paul believes many government agencies, programs and actions — including the undeclared wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — are unconstitutional.

He spoke at length of his opposition to the “War on Terror” and worldwide U.S. military presence. The Republican Party, which condemned the Clinton administration for “nation building and policing the world” is now trying to do the same thing, he said.

“When you talk about a foreign policy of nonintervention — all we’re talking about is what the founding fathers intended — what the Constitution supports and what the Republican Party used to stand for,” he said.

Paul said U.S. intervention in foreign affairs and sustained military presence around the world contributed to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and accused the Bush administration of taking advantage of fear and uncertainty in the wake of the terror attack to curtail civil liberties.

He advocates closing foreign military bases and investing the resources within the U.S.

Paul supports cutting many government programs, including the Department of Education, and reducing regulation of food and drugs. He blames high health care costs on inflation and government regulation and decries any proposed solution that would involve more government control.

He supports gun ownership rights and is against abortion. He advocates withdrawal from the United Nations as well as trade agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization, in the name of national sovereignty.