WASHINGTON (AP) -- Ron Paul may not win the Republican nomination for president -- he has yet to win a single state -- but his strategy of trying to amass delegates in caucus states could land him a prominent role at the party's national convention this summer.
Party leaders may have to embrace Paul with a speaking role or tweaks to the party platform if they want to placate Paul's supporters and keep them from becoming a distraction at an event designed to promote party unity and showcase the nominee, whoever it is.
The Associated Press delegate count has Paul lagging in fourth place.
But Paul's campaign manager predicts the Texas congressman will outperform delegate projections in caucus states, where the process to select national delegates will take months to sort out.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)