Lancaster County supporters of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul can't vote for him during the Iowa caucuses this week.

They can and did, however, rally along West King Street Monday afternoon in support of the Texas congressman, hoping to spread his conservative message to New Year's Eve traffic passing through Penn Square.

"We're looking to achieve more people understanding Ron Paul's message," said Paul volunteer Lisa Armellino, 27, of Lancaster, who organized the rally.

About 30 people bundled up for the chilly air held placards touting either Paul's campaign or his platform, particularly his stances on taxes and foreign policy.

Paul supports abolishing the income tax, and he wants to bring American troops home not only from the Middle East but from Europe, Korea and the rest of the world.

Part of Paul's argument is drastic cuts in maintaining military personnel overseas would help drop the government's demand for tax revenue.

For Armellino, though, Paul's appeal goes beyond his platform.

"Ron Paul as a person has good values, he's firm, he believes in the Constitution," she said. "And he believes every human being deserves freedom. We don't like to be owned."

Paul's no rookie in presidential politics. He was the Libertarian Party's nominee in the 1988 campaign.

Although he represents Texas' 14th Congressional District, Paul is a native Pennsylvanian, having been born near Pittsburgh and graduating from Gettysburg College. He earned a medical degree in obstetrics from Duke University School of Medicine.

While Paul has outraised every other GOP presidential candidate since October, adding $19 million to his coffers, he's lagging behind in voter polls taken in early primary states such as Iowa and New Hampshire.

Pennsylvania's primary isn't until April, but before then, the Republican nominee will likely emerge.

Armellino said she's certain Paul will emerge as the GOP nominee in the 2008 election.

"He's done extremely well," she said. "All of my friends are voting for him. Everybody I know on MySpace is voting for him. Everybody I know in the United States is voting for him."

Locally, Paul supporters or those wanting more information can visit ronpaul.meetup.com/926.

E-mail: dpidgeon@lnpnews.com