Ron Paul ending his campaign for president

WASHINGTON -- Ron Paul, the congressman from Texas and a favorite of tea partyers, effectively ended his presidential campaign yesterday, but urged his fervent supporters to continue working at the state party level to cause havoc for presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney.

In an email to supporters, Paul urged his libertarian-leaning backers to remain involved and champion his causes despite the apparent end of his presidential campaign.

Paul has found success in wrecking the selection process for delegates to the party's summer nominating convention in Tampa, Fla., and trumpeted that he has delayed Romney's expected nomination.

"Moving forward, however, we will no longer spend resources campaigning in primaries in states that have not yet voted," Paul said in his statement. "Doing so with any hope of success would take many tens of millions of dollars we simply do not have. I encourage all supporters of liberty to make sure you get to the polls and make your voices heard, particularly in the local, state and congressional elections, where so many defenders of freedom are fighting and need your support."

Paul's supporters have proved successful in winning state GOP conventions in places such as Maine and Nevada. His supporters in Iowa and Nevada were chosen to lead the state central parties.

Paul's flock is likely to make similar inroads this weekend in Minnesota. Paul has already dominated the state's congressional district conventions, winning 18 of the 24 national delegates selected, even though he finished a distant second to Rick Santorum in caucuses in February.