News 14 Carolina's Deborah Tuff has more on the Texas Republican's visit to the Triangle on Friday.
DURHAM -- Sen. John McCain will take his party's nomination this summer but he won't be the only Republican on the ballot in North Carolina on Tuesday.
Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, whose name is still in the race paid a visit to the Triangle on Friday with stops at UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University. He told a crowd at Duke that he wants the U.S. to pull out of the war in Iraq and says doing that would in turn better our economy.
Paul’s supporters say there's no question he could do the job.
Rep. Ron Paul
“He's honest and I didn't think that honesty existed in Washington anymore," Bruce Whithers said.
"As far as defending the Constitution of the United States, that's my profession and he's the only candidate that I see doing the very same," added Christopher Sullivan.
During his stop in Durham, Paul gave his take on the war in Iraq.
"We should declare it, the people should be behind it, we should fight it and win it and get it over with instead of these long, drawn-out wars that just drain us," Paul said.
The presidential candidate also weighed in on how to build a better economy, health care system and better international relations.
"Let’s just offer friendship, offer trade and offer an ability to talk with people and be diplomatic with people," he suggested.
While the Democratic race is still up in the air, McCain is poised to take the Republican nomination, something many Paul supporters are not too keen about.
"He's definitely flip-flopped more than Dr. Paul has," said Whithers.
Paul told the crowd that his hopes of winning the White House will continue to the end.
"If there's money in the bank and you want to continue the process and you want to go all the way to the convention and make sure our message is heard, that is what I intend to do," said Paul.
McCain, meanwhile, spent part of his Friday in Colorado and spoke out about television ads accusing him of advocating a 100-year war in Iraq. He says they aren't accurate in portraying his position on the war.
McCain says he was clearly referring to a possible peacekeeping force and not a century-long war, as critics imply. The ad is being run by the Democratic National Committee and the liberal group moveon.org.