Tampa rally swan song for Ron Paul?

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TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Several thousand supporters gave Ron Paul possibly his last hurrah as Republicans gathered in Florida to select Mitt Romney as their presidential candidate.

The 77-year-old Republican Texas congressman noted for his libertarian philosophy declined to endorse his rival in the GOP presidential race.

Paul was the main attraction at a 6-hour rally at the University of South Florida Sun Dome in Tampa. In a 77-minute speech, the lame duck congressman called on those in attendance to continue to grow the movement, Politico reported.

"We'll get in the tent, believe me, because we will become the tent eventually," he said. "It seems to me that they [Republicans] would be begging and pleading for us to come into the party."

This was Paul's second attempt at the GOP presidential nomination -- he also ran in 2008 -- in addition to a 1988 bid as the Libertarian Party's candidate. In the 2012 primary campaign he received nearly 2 million votes.

During the campaign, Paul noted, he spoke at 33 college campuses and addressed nearly 150,000 people.

Paul urged his followers to continue to push the ideals of libertarianism.

"We have to aim high. We have to be very idealistic. We have to use reason, and we have to have passion. This will convert people rather than grabbing them by the collar and saying, 'Listen to me...," he said.