“Clearly the majority, meaning at least 51 percent, of the Ron Paul people have never been involved in politics or only minimally,” Drew Ivers, Paul’s state chairman, told the Iowa Independent. “So the point is to get them to realize that saying `rah, rah Ron Paul,’ or putting a sign in the front yard, or talking to the neighbors about his strengths, just isn’t enough. The only thing that matters is that they go to their caucus and write Ron Paul’s name on a slip of paper when it comes time to vote.

“Probably, mentally, they understand that,” Ivers continued. “But psychologically, I am not sure we, as a campaign, have gotten that to really sink in.”Like the rest of the field, Paul staffers are hustling this weekend to find ways to optimize the visiblity of his very vocal supporters. The campaign is making telephone calls to Republicans across the state gauging Paul’s support in the state and has run newspaper ads in several small town newspapers in the state as well as airing television ads in several markets.

One poll released this week showed Paul with support of 10 percent of likely voters, but Ivers said that might not be an accurate reflection of how the campaign will perform because first-time voters often aren’t included in those surveys.

“Our own polls show that we’re looking pretty decent among registered Republicans if we can just motivate them to go to the caucuses,” Ivers said.

Paul, who is campaigning extensively in New Hampshire and in Western states, has spent just 19 days in Iowa. Those events have drawn crowds of up to 800 people, many of them ardent Paul supporters.

“One of the things I keep telling our people is that we don’t want the Ron Paul people there, we want the new people there. We need you to bring them,” Ivers said.

They’ll get a chance on Wednesday when Paul returns to the state for one last round of campaigning. He’s going to make an appearance at the John Deere plant in Ankeny midday (no official time has been announced) and will make a foreign policy speech at the Hotel Fort Des Moines at 7 p.m. at an event featuring military veterans who have endorsed his candidacy. Thursday he’ll speak at Des Moines University at noon.

Given the Paul campaign’s run-in with the ICA over its decision not to invite him to its GOP presidential forum in June – an event cosponsored by the Iowans for Tax Reform — the irony of Paul’s new Iowa chair winning the “Friends of the Family Award” will not be lost on Paul’s fervent supporters. The apparent snub only served to inspire the Ron Paul Revolutionaries as they descended upon Des Moines in droves to attend a counter-rally next door, which garnered more attendees than the forum itself. Moreover, a recording of the event was posted on the internet and has been used to bolster the movement’s recruitment efforts. 

When asked in a telephone interview about the ICA’s decision not to invite Ron Paul to the forum, Ivers told the Iowa Independent that he had met with Scheffler and had worked things out. “Steve told me there were some differences within the two coalitions sponsoring the event,” Ivers said. “Steve told me there was a communication breakdown that led to Ron Paul not being invited to the event. He also assured me that these issues have been worked, and I take him for his word on this matter.”“As many evangelicals sort out their concerns about Israel and the Middle East, I want to advance Congressman Paul’s long-held opposition to our troublesome foreign aid policy, which is contrary to our forefathers admonitions to avoid foreign entanglements,” Ivers said after the event.  “Such aide in the Middle East frequently has negative consequences. And as Dr. Paul reiterates, we need justice for 911, not an endless War in Iraq which most Americans now oppose.  As a combat veteran who has experienced this all before, I know Ron Paul is right. It is time to bring the troops home.”