Rand Paul Running For U.S. Senate (Kentucky)

[Godwynn]

Source

Bowling Green ophthalmologist Rand Paul said Wednesday that he will convert his Senate exploratory committee to a full-fledged campaign.

“We're excited about it, and some people will be amazed at what we're going to be able to accomplish,” he said in an interview.

Paul's decision to enter the 2010 race was expected, especially after Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., announced last week that he would drop his bid for a third term after posting poor fundraising totals during the first half of 2009.

Paul — the son of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, an unsuccessful candidate last year for the Republican presidential nomination — said he probably would have eventually entered the GOP primary race even had Bunning stayed in.

“I do have a lot of respect for Sen. Bunning, and I was still waiting out of respect for him … but I think we were going forward on the basis of uncertainty (about whether Bunning would be re-elected),” he said.

Paul made his official announcement Wednesday afternoon on Fox News' “Your World with Neil Cavuto,” and is scheduled to appear Thursday morning on CNN's American Morning.

Having never run for office before, Paul is a dark-horse candidate. But his ability to use his father's political network to raise money nationally could improve his chances of upsetting Secretary of State Trey Grayson, who is considered to be the candidate of choice among GOP leaders.

He said making the rounds of the national television shows will help him generate contributions for his campaign and also raise his profile.

“I think it helps with people believing that you can win, that you can nationalize the Kentucky race,” he said.

Paul, 46, is known for his largely libertarian views and has often been at odds with more mainstream Republicans. He opposed the U.S.A. Patriot Act — enacted after the 2001 terrorist attacks — and favors dismantling the Federal Reserve Bank.

His politics are similar to his father's, as is his disdain for mainstream Republican initiatives that he argues led to a doubling of the federal deficit during the Bush administration.

On Saturday at the Fancy Farm political picnic, he lobbed criticisms at both Republicans and Democrats, calling “hypocrisy ... the one true bipartisan trait.”

Paul said Wednesday that his criticism of Republicans may drive away some voters but that it sets him apart from other Republicans.

“I'm going to be running as an independent Republican,” he said on Cavuto's show.

He noted that when he's at Republican events and he criticizes the bank bailout bill, which was engineered in part by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, he gets applause.

“I'm a Republican,” he said. “I want us to be true to our platform. The problem is, we've elected republicans who aren't true to our platform,” he said.

Who is he named after? Will he get a lot of fundraising from the internets? Does he have an ice cube's chance in hell of winning?

 

[Cutlass]

"Rand" Paul? Tell me that's not on his birth certificate.

 

[kulade]

Who's next Hayek Paul? Friedman Paul?

 

[GenMarshall]

Rand Paul? Is this a rip off of Ron Paul?

 

[Godwynn]

Rand Paul? Is this a rip off of Ron Paul?

No, it's an offspring of Ron Paul.

 

[GenMarshall]

No, it's an offspring of Ron Paul.

God help us all...

 

[mrt144]

Who's next Hayek Paul? Friedman Paul?

Either one would be a million times better than Rand Paul.

 

[a_propagandist]

Who is Rand Paul?

 

[MagisterCultuum]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rand_Paul

Randal "Rand" Paul (born January 7, 1963) is an American eye surgeon and political activist. He is the third child of Republican U.S. Congressman Ron Paul of Texas. During his father's 2008 presidential campaign, Rand Paul's outspoken, libertarian-conservative views were widely disseminated. On August 5th, 2009, Paul announced that he is running for the United States Senate seat currently held by retiring Senator Jim Bunning.[1]

 

[Integral]

Paul — the son of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, an unsuccessful candidate last year for the Republican presidential nomination — said he probably would have eventually entered the GOP primary race even had Bunning stayed in.

Nonononono, Kentucky, don't do this. Please.

[His name's 'Rand'? What a horrible thing to do to a child...]

edit:Ok, his name's actually 'Randal'. Still...

 

[Tycoon101]

I'd vote for Rand.

 

[Archbob]

Soon, Ron Paul and offspring will rule the United States.

 

[downtown]

The dude is from Bowling Green? Now I like him even LESS. That is one of the worst places in America that I have ever been.

He might raise quite a bit of money, but he doesn't stand a chance of being elected.

 

[bhsup]

Hey, if Patrick Kennedy deserves a shot...

 

[.Shane.]

lol, "Rand", that says it all.

 

[bhsup]

Um, Huh?

 

[Miles Teg]

Hey, if Patrick Kennedy deserves a shot...

Unfortunately, that fails both as an appeal to nepotism (Ted deserves to shove his kid in Congress far more than Ron does) and as a critique of the congressman from Rhode Island. Yes, he has major personal issues, but he's a decent congressman on balance. If Rand is as similar to his father as he appears, he'd make a horrible Senator.

 

[Left]

Um, Huh?

Rand McNally is actually Rand and McNally so its not that bad really.

 

[Bast]

The dude is from Bowling Green? Now I like him even LESS. That is one of the worst places in America that I have ever been.

He might raise quite a bit of money, but he doesn't stand a chance of being elected.

I you so much!

 

[Grisu]

If he isn't mad already, the Taint will make him go mad eventually...beware