Ron Paul visits polling places to greet voters

By Bobby Caina Calvan, Globe Staff

MANCHESTER -- A throng of rambunctious supporters greeted Ron Paul when he visited a Manchester elementary school today, part of a five-stop swing to gather last-minute votes.

Greg Gilmore, an out-of-work electrical engineer, cast his ballot, then declared he was a fervent Paul supporter.

“He’s the one who is going to create the environment for me to get another job, and he’s going to be the biggest budget-cutter of them all,” he said.

But another voter, Patricia Mason, did not share his view. “Ideologically, we’re just not on the same wave length at all.”

She voted for Mitt Romney, she said, because “he’s the best person to lead our country out of this mess right now.”

A crowd of 50 lined the steps leading into the polling place, mostly Paul supporters.

A small group of President Obama supporters competed in chants with backers of the libertarian-leaning Republican as he arrived 15 minutes late for his scheduled visit to the school. Police escorted him inside.