Woman walks 38 miles for Ron Paul

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Woman walks to Concord for presidential candidate

By JEREMIAH ROOD
Staff Writer
jrood@fosters.com

DOVER — ABC Television personality George Stephanopoulos said on his show in July that he'd bet every last nickel that Texas Congressman Ron Paul never would make it to the White House.

His prediction angered one Dover resident, who decided to take the 2008 Republican presidential candidate's message to the streets — literally.

Kelly Halldorson, 34, started her 38-mile march to Concord from her Silver Street home at 5:30 a.m. Saturday. She hoped to finish before 11 p.m.

"I'll make it if I have to crawl," Halldorson said.

She made good on her pledge, arriving in Concord before 10 p.m.

"I feel great, but Ihave really sore feet," she said at the end of her walk.

She stopped at the Irving Blue Canoe at the intersection of routes 9 and 125 in Barrington ahead of schedule Saturday morning, meeting her husband Jeff, a worried set of grandparents and a couple of fellow Ron Paul supporters.

Her trip from Dover to Barrington took just a couple of hours.

Jeff Halldorson said he's never seen his wife this committed to something, beyond her own family.

"She's very determined," he said.

Kelly Halldorson stepped off sporting a Ron Paul Revolution T-shirt, a campaign sign and an iPod filled with Cat Stevens songs and David McCullough's "1776."

"When did journalists become prophets?" she said, referring to the Stephanopoulos comment.

She said she admires Paul's approach and commitment to the Constitution.

She also said she thinks its time for a doctor to serve in the White House, not just another lawyer.

She previously has said Paul has proved his integrity through his work as a Texas congressman and that she believes his strict interpretation of the Constitution and non-interventionist foreign policy will steer the country in the right direction in 2009.

She had watched the candidate for some years in Congress, but was alerted to his candidacy at the beginning of the year via e-mail. She since has become a strong supporter of Paul's campaign.

She began blogging in support of the candidate and tried to raise awareness about Paul through Internet advocacy. With her walk Saturday, she said she hopes to prove Paul's support is more than an Internet phenomenon.