[img_assist|nid=181|title=Rep. Ron Paul|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=200|height=221]Ron Paul supporter Rich Matthews of Orchard Beach filed his certificate of candidacy for the Republican nomination in the 2nd Congressional District today, challenging three-term Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger.

More tradition Maryland Republicans have recently lamented the advance of Paul supporters within the ranks of the state party.

Another Paul activist, Christopher Panasuk, is a Republican candidate in the heavily Democratic 3rd District. He faces Paul Spause in the February 12th Republican primary. Spause ran for the nomination in 2006 and received 2% in an eight-person field.

Yet with no other Republicans currently in the 2nd District race and the filing deadline approaching on Monday, a Paul supporter is all but certain to clinch the Republican nomination.

Matthews is very active supporter of Congressman Paul's presidential candidacy, which he described in a post on Blog Baltimore as "a voice of reason in a field of delusional candidates, particularly among Republicans." He hosted a fundraiser for Paul at his home on October 20th.

Both Matthews and Panasuk are also candidates for Delegate to the Republican National Convention.

The regular Republican organization may seek to field a more traditional candidate this weekend at their state convention in Westminster.

Regardless, Matthews, a political novice, or any Republican candidate has a steep hill to climb. Ruppersberger was re-elected in 2006 by a margin of 69% to 31%. Although the 2nd was once reliably Republican, redistricting radically altered its makeup. It is currently rated D+8 on the Cook Partisan Voting Index.

But it seems their goal is not to beat Maryland Democrats.

It's to firmly establish the Ron Paul wing of the Maryland Republican Party.