LawFuel – Smart footwork from the Ron Paul camp saw him win over 51% of the second ballot at West Virginia following a deal with the Huckabee camp, who received support from the Ron Paul campaign.
Ron Paul’s campaign voted for Huckabee in exchange for three of the 18 national delegates that Huckabee could claim with his victory.
“We struck a deal with the Huckabee people,” Edward Burgess, a spokesman for Paul’s campaign, told NBC affiliate WSAZ-TV of Huntington.
“They came to us and dealt with us honorably and with respect. And so we told them that if Dr. Paul didn’t make it through the first round, that we would go for their man,” Burgess said. “They pledged us three delegates to the Republican National Convention.”
Romney won 41 percent during the first round to 33 percent for Huckabee and was the expected winner in West Virginia, receiving 41% of the vote in the first ballot, with Ron Paul in fourth place. McCain won 16 percent, and Paul brought up the rear with 10 percent. Since no one had a majority, delegates voted a second time, with Paul eliminated.
