The LA Times reports that supporters of GOP crank candidate Ron Paul — why does it not surprise me that some of his most zealous forces are in Utah — are plotting a revolt at the GOP national convention in September to embarrass John McCain.

Says the LATimes Andrew Malcolm:

Paul's presidential candidacy has been correctly dismissed all along in terms of winning the nomination. He was even excluded as irrelevant by Fox News from a nationally-televised GOP debate in New Hampshire.

But what's been largely overlooked is Paul's candidacy as a reflection of a powerful lingering dissatisfaction with the Arizona senator among the party's most conservative conservatives.

Paul's supporters been fighting a series of "guerrilla battles" with GOP officials at county and state conventions in several states, including Nevada and Washington. They hope to take control of local committees and boost their delegate totals to influence platform debates.