Activists
belonging to the libertarian wing of the Republican Party
continue to mourn the loss of Kent Snyder, a 49-year-old gay
political operative credited with propelling the
presidential campaign of Ron Paul into a national,
grassroots movement that raised more than $35 million.
Snyder, who
served as Paul's campaign chair, died of pneumonia on
June 26 after being hospitalized for about two months.
Though his death
was reported in The Wall Street Journal and
Washington Post, his sexual orientation was
never mentioned.
On his own
website, Paul called Snyder's death a "great
loss" to the libertarian movement.
"Kent
poured every ounce of his being into our fight for
freedom," Paul said. "He will always
hold a place in my heart and in the hearts of my
family. We deeply mourn his loss."
Paul praised
Snyder for playing a key role in advancing libertarian
causes and noted that Snyder began his association with him
in 1987, when he worked on Paul's first run for
president.
"Over the
next 20 years, we worked together on countless projects in
the name of freedom," Paul said on his site.
"It was Kent, more than anyone else, who urged
me to run again for president" in 2008. (The
Advocate)
