Republican Paul Says He Won’t Run As Third-Party Candidate

HOUSTON (AP) – Presidential hopeful Ron Paul says he won’t run as a third-party candidate in a new message to supporters that seems to recognize his slim chances at getting the Republican nomination.

The Texas congressman wrote on his Web site that he’s making cuts to his national campaign staff. Paul says he also can’t afford to lose focus on the next primary for his House seat.

Paul started today with just 14 delegates for the Republican nomination that John McCain, with 707 delegates, has all but officially secured.

Mitt Romney dropped out of the race Thursday. Paul says that Romney gone, “the chances of a brokered convention are nearly zero.”

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)