Ames' Dusty Juhl, Ron Paul Supporter, to Represent Iowa at Republican National Convention

Dusty Juhl, a 35-year-old Ames Republican became involved in the Story County Republican Party shortly after the 2008 election.

“2008 wasn't a good year for Republicans,” Juhl said.

Or Ron Paul who was shut out of the 2008 convention.

In 2008, Juhl attended Paul's rally held at the same time of the 2008 Republican National Convention. This cycle he will represent Iowa at the Republican National Convention in Tampa still in support of Paul.

Juhl, and other Iowa Paul supporters, faced no challenges during delegate selection, but with just three of five states controlled by Paul delegates, Paul will not be on the ballot. His son Rand Paul has been asked to speak and a tribute to Ron Paul will air.

With Mitt Romney's selection essentially guaranteed, Juhl hopes to instead influence party members to keep an audit of the Federal Reserve in the platform and restore the National Defense Authorization Act opposition plank. The act was signed into law Dec. 31 and part of it essentially affirms the government's authority to hold suspected terrorists, including American citizens, indefinitely without due process.

Civil rights groups and Juhl feel the NDAA violates constitutional law and he hopes to restore it to the party's platform, though he doubts that will be possible.

Juhl, the publicity chair for the Story County GOP, said he expects the convention to serve essentially as one huge pep rally and is excited to see Republican political leaders in person.

He is most looking forward to Florida Senator Marco Rubio's speech on Thursday, because he was unable to make an Iowa appearance due to a flight problem.

Juhl, an Iowa State University graduate who works in software testing company in Urbandale, plans to leave for Florida Saturday as a national delegate and an undecided voter.

“I'm still a Ron Paul supporter. I still don't know who I will support in the fall,” Juhl said.

Juhl's father, David Juhl, was killed in 2005 when Democrat Gregg Connell, who was running for governor at the time, blew a stop sign and collided with David Juhl as he drove to work.

Because of that Dusty Juhl will never vote for a Democrat.

“That doesn't mean I'm voting for a Republican either,” Juhl said.