2016 Elections

Paul to Headline Iowa GOP Lincoln Day Dinner, Further Fueling White House Speculation

WKU Public Radio News — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:22:57 +0000

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul is scheduled to headline the Iowa Republican party’s Lincoln Day Dinner in May. While members of Congress often take part in speaking engagements in other states, Sen. Paul’s appearance in Iowa is making news because the event always creates buzz about the upcoming presidential race.

The Hawkeye State has been a traditional launching pad for presidential candidates from both parties, given that the Iowa caucuses serve as the country’s first major electoral event in the presidential nominating process.

Paul, a Bowling Green Republican, has admitted he is considering a run for the White House in 2016, and attracted a lot of popular press in conservative circles when he launched a 13-hour filibuster earlier this month against the nomination of John Brennan to be C.I.A. chief.

Earlier this week, Paul told the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce that the country needs to find a way to give legal status to undocumented immigrants working in the U.S. While stopping short of saying there should be a pathway to citizenship for such workers, Paul’s latest statements were much more moderate than his previous positions on immigration.

Paul Considering Presidential and Senate Run in 2016

Joe Corcoran — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:54:35 +0000

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul says he'll wait until next year to decide whether to run for President, but he says he believes voters are ready for a Libertarian Republican candidate. And, even though he's up for re-election to his Senate seat in 2016, the same year as the Presidential election, he says there's "probably a way that could be done, but we haven't finalized any plans."

Speaking on "Fox News Sunday", Paul said, "I would absolutely not run unless it were to win."

Paul: Republican Party in Need of Facelift

Kevin Willis — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 14:35:34 +0000

Kentucky's junior U.S. Senator says the Republican Party must broaden its appeal to voters by toning down some of its rhetoric on social issues. Rand Paul also thinks the GOP too often presents itself as a party "eager to go to war."

Paul, a first-term Senator from Bowling Green and rumored 2016 Presidential candidate, spoke to more than 500 Cincinnati-area Republicans over the weekend.

Paul said if Republicans hope to rebound from recent electoral disappointments, the GOP must find new ways to reach out to voters who disagree with the party on hot-topic issues such as abortion and gay marriage.

“We’re going to have to be a little hands off on some of these issues ... and get people into the party,” Paul told the audience.

This isn't the first time Paul has spoken out on the need for the GOP to refashion its approach. He was recently quoted as saying Republicans must "evolve and adapt", or else face continued losses on election day.

Rand Paul Says He'll Seek Senate Re-Election in 2016

Associated Press — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 03:14:33 +0000

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, the tea party Republican who has acknowledged he's interested in a presidential bid in 2016, insisted Friday that he would seek re-election to the Senate that year.

The quandary for Paul is that he has to choose one or the other because, under Kentucky law, he's legally precluded from running for both.

Paul told reporters after a speech to Lexington business leaders on Friday that he has formed a re-election committee and that he intends to be on the ballot for Senate, though he still didn't rule out running for president.

Rand Paul "Not Going to Deny" He's Interesed in White House Run

Kevin Willis — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 20:46:20 +0000

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul isn’t denying reports that he’s interested in a 2016 presidential run. The website Politico quotes the Bowling Green Republican as saying “I’m not going to deny that I’m interested.” Paul says he thinks the GOP has to go in a different direction because the party isn’t winning national elections.