Grass roots 'big ace' in Ron Paul's White House bid

0 Comments | USA TODAY, November, 2007 | by Fredreka Schouten

WASHINGTON -- Ron Paul joked during Wednesday's Republican debate that so much money is pouring into his campaign from the Internet that he's "struggling to figure out how to spend" it all.

The Texas congressman can thank Trevor Lyman for a chunk of that cash.

Lyman, a Miami Beach online music promoter, is guiding an Internet fundraising drive that he says could well push Paul past his $12 million fourth-quarter fundraising goal by the weekend -- a full month ahead of schedule.

Paul had raised more than $9.7 million as of Thursday afternoon, according to his website. Campaign spokesman Jesse Benton said Paul hasn't had any contact with Lyman and is not coordinating with him. The money "has been spontaneously raised," Benton said. "The grass roots...