Which GOP Presidential Candidates Favor Legalized Poker?

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Where do Gingrich, Romney, and Paul Stand?

At this stage in this year’s election, there are only a handful of GOP candidates for President who haven’t thrown in the towel: Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, and a few other also-rans in it for the principle and not the possibility of election. With online poker a hot topic thanks to its changing legal status at the state level, it is important for online poker players planning to vote Republican to know where the candidates stand on Internet-based poker and gaming.

Here’s a quick look at each of the remaining candidates and their position on online poker.

Newt Gingrich

Gingrich was the surprise winner of the South Carolina primary this past weekend. Gingrich’s victory is shocking because he is not the candidate that the Republican party as a whole has embraced. The GOP seems to be putting their full faith and support behind Mitt Romney, a younger, more attractive, and wealthier candidate that lacks Gingrich’s nasty attitude and multi-divorce past.

Where does Newt stand on Internet gaming? Gingrich received a $5 million campaign donation from a man named Sheldon Adelson. Who is Adelson? He’s the eighth richest man in America with a net worth of $20 billion, a land-based casino mogul, and a man who claims to be “morally” opposed to online gaming. Adelson is planning to donate a total of $20 million to the Gingrich campaign by the time the race is over. Gingrich is taking a ton of cash from a guy who wants nothing more than the end of online poker and online casino gaming, so while Newt has yet to come out and say so, it’s likely he’ll be against any move to increase legal access to online casino games and poker games.

Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney presents another interesting example of how politics and gaming collide in interesting ways. As a Mormon, Romney is a member of a religious group that is against all forms of gambling. Mormons also eschew alcohol and other intoxicants, including caffeine, so it is hard to imagine a Mormon president being too fond of the kinds of things that go down in a casino, online OR land-based.

Still, Romney has shown an ability in the past to legislate outside of the scope of his own faith. Romney hasn’t made any official statement of his opinion of online  gaming and poker, but the Romney campaign has promised to make such an announcement sometime after the South Carolina primary. With that primary in our rearview mirror, you should expect a quote from Romney about online poker and gaming law any day now. It’s hard to imagine him stepping too far outside his faith and fully supporting any gaming initiative, but we shall see.

Ron Paul

Ron Paul is on the libertarian side of the Republican party, and his opinions on issues like online gaming often fly in the face of both conventional and party wisdom. One of the biggest proponents of online poker regulation in America is former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson. When Gary Johnson dropped out, he threw his hat in the ring for Ron Paul, partially because he and Paul agree about online gaming.

If you’re an online poker fan and a Republican, you almost have to support Ron Paul. He has stated publicly that the UIGEA is in direct violation of the Constitution, and that he is for legal online poker even (especially!) without government regulation. Paul is firmly in the “freedom of speech” camp when it comes to this issue, insisting that the government simply cannot tell us whether or not we can gamble with our own money.

Among GOP candidates still in the race, Ron Paul is your best bet, if online poker is your only political concern. Once Mitt Romney weighs in and Newt Gingrich goes public with his disdain for online poker, the choice should become even more clear. Ron Paul on Facebook.

Tags: Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Paul Stand, Ron Paul

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