Ron Paul to campaign Friday in Spokane

Ron Paul, the Texas congressman and GOP presidential candidate, will make a campaign stop in Spokane Friday. He’ll attend a rally at the Spokane Convention Center which is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m., a campaign coordinator said Wednesday. The visit shows the increasing interest in Washington and Idaho as caucuses for the two states approach. Washington holds its caucuses on March 3, and Idaho on March 6. Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum was in Olympia and Tacoma Monday, and Coeur d’Alene Tuesday, as part of a campaign swing through the West. Mitt Romney will be in Seattle on March 1 for a fundraiser, and either he or one of his family members may make a visit to Eastern Washington before the caucuses, a campaign source said today. Paul may have added incentive to come to Eastern Washington. In the 2008 caucuses, Ron Paul finished third statewide, but first in Spokane County, with the support of about 46 percent of the delegates. Paul also picked up several endorsements this week, including state Rep. Matt Shea, R-Spokane Valley, and Spokane County Treasurer Rob Chase.