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Rand Paul Claims a Spot in GOP Presidential Debate

WKU PBS

U.S. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky will be among the ten Republican presidential candidates who will take the stage Thursday night in their first debate ahead of the 2016 election. 

Scott Lasley is a political scientist at WKU and chairman of the Warren County Republican Party.  He says the debate will allow Paul to differentiate himself from his fellow White House contenders, especially on foreign policy.

"The one risk he does run is the more he differentiates himself from more mainstream Republicans, he's got to make sure he doesn't drift into Ron Paul land," Lasley told WKU Public Radio.

Many think of his father as an isolationist, but Rand Paul has said he wants to be known as the candidate who thinks of war as the last resort. 

Professor Lasley says Paul might also use criminal justice reform as a distinction between him and the other Republicans on stage. 

The first GOP debate of the 2016 presidential race isn’t expected to have major influence on Paul’s campaign, but if he performs really well, Lasley says it could help bring in large fundraising dollars, which he has struggled to attract.

Lisa is a Scottsville native and WKU alum. She has worked in radio as a news reporter and anchor for 18 years. Prior to joining WKU Public Radio, she most recently worked at WHAS in Louisville and WLAC in Nashville. She has received numerous awards from the Associated Press, including Best Reporter in Kentucky. Many of her stories have been heard on NPR.