At least one House Republican thinks it’s “pretty sad— that his party is looking to a conservative radio talk-show host for leadership instead of to elected political leaders.

“I think it’s pretty sad— that Republicans were so energized by Rush Limbaugh at last week’s Conservative Political Action Conference, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) said Monday on CNN’s “American Morning.—

“It means that the Republicans are really starving for some type of leadership,— Paul said.

Paul said that while Limbaugh is a leader, he is also “polarizing and confrontational,— which makes good fodder for Democrats. He derided Limbaugh’s views as being “very narrow— and not offering “anything new— when it comes to foreign policy or civil liberties.

“There is a group of us that would like to appeal somewhat differently to the Republican base and, as a matter of fact, to the American people. That’s what is really important,— Paul said.

The Texas Republican, a loud advocate of limited government who gained attention for his grass-roots style of campaigning for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, said he doesn’t anticipate tossing his hat into that ring again.

“I don’t think so. I’m not planning that. It’s a long way off,— Paul said. “I hardly can visualize what the country’s going to be like then at the rate we’re deteriorating financially.—