CHEYENNE - Debbie Rise of Cheyenne gave a one-word answer Sunday when asked why she supports maverick Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul.

"Freedom," Rise said.

She was one of several hundred people who attended a rally for Paul in the plaza near the historic depot in downtown Cheyenne on Sunday afternoon.

The event opened with a performance by a members of a drum and fife band dressed in Revolutionary War era costumes.

Supporters weaved through the crowd to pass out copies of the U.S. Constitution.

During his half hour speech, Paul generated roars of approval when he said the government should end the war in Iraq and bring the troops home.

They were equally enthusiastic when he said young people should be allowed to withdraw from the Social Security program and the nation should get rid of the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Reserve.

Christine Wilson, one of a group of Paul supporters from Denver, said her research convinced her Paul is the best candidate for president.

"I believe the nation should get back to our roots," Wilson said.

"People are tired of getting screwed by government."

Teri Mahacek of Colorado Springs said said she watched all the debates before picking Paul.

"All the other candidates on both sides scare me," she said.. "I think all the Republicans would have us invading every country. I think the Democrats would have us becoming socialists."

During a meeting with reporters before the rally, the Texas congressman said his campaign has gained traction largely because of his position that the nation should get out of Iraq as quickly as possible

He said he is not a pacifist and believes in a strong military defense which, he said, is being diminished by the war in Iraq.

He noted he is the only presidential candidate among the Republican president candidates or the major Democratic candidates with this position on the Iraq war.

He said the government's response to terrorists has been out of proportion to what is necessary and it is violating U.S. citizens' civil rights.

"I think there would be a much better chance if we were out of the mix over there. I think we created the chaos. There was no civil war going on before we got there," Paul said.

Congress, he added, is as much to blame for the war as the president.

The trim, white-haired 71-year-old candidate said he was encouraged to run for the Republican nomination.

"Now after 10 months I never dreamed we could raise this much money and get this much attention," he said.

"We've struck a chord with a lot of people."

It was Paul's first visit to Wyoming.

"We have a lot of supporters here," he said. "It's an early primary I wanted to pay attention to."

While Paul supporters gathered after the rally on the first floor of the Plains Hotel, another Republican presidential candiate, Duncan Hunter, a California congressman, met with a group of his supporters on the second floor.

Hunter said one of the reasons for his visit is to thank the Wyoming National Guard for its help in fighting the fires in southern California.

He planned to visit the guard offices today.

"They helped save San Diego," he said.

Hunter was in Wyoming earlier at forums in Casper and Riverton.

He supports a strong national defense, enforcement of border security and restoring high paid manufacturing jobs that have been outsourced overseas.

Both Paul and Hunter planned to attend the Laramie County Republican Party fund-raiser Sunday evening at Little America.

Capital reporter Joan Barron can be reached at (307) 632-1244 or at joan.barron@casperstartribune.net.