Rand Paul Jumps Into Senate Race

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Campaign 2010

(Rand Paul)

Rand Paul, the son of 2008 Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, officially entered the Kentucky Senate race today.

The Paul campaign turned in paperwork and a $500 check to the secretary of state's office this afternoon, the Associated Press reports. Paul is running as a Republican.

He has reportedly already raised $1.7 million for his run, largely from people who supported his father's failed bid for the GOP presidential nomination last year.

On his Web site, Paul says he believes "America can prosper, preserve personal liberty, and repel national security threats without intruding into the personal lives of its citizens."

Echoing his father, Paul adds that "for too long the Federal Reserve has operated behind a shroud of mystery—as Senator I would make sure that all Americans understand the dangers of unsound monetary policy and shed light on this secretive organization."

Paul, an eye surgeon, is seeking the seat now held by retiring Republican Sen. Jim Bunning. He is believed to be a serious contender in the race for the GOP nomination, which also includes secretary of state Trey Grayson.

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
Follow on Twitter »

16 Comments Have Your Say
Email Story Send to a Friend
Share This Tell Your Friends
Tweet This Tweet This
More Share It

Add a Comment See all 16 Comments


by nicmart January 5, 2010 1:32 PM EST: Believed to be a serious contender? Paul is leading by 14 points over the candidate in second place in the latest poll.

Paul is being slandered by the establishment, but his position on the Gitmo detainees is the same as George Bush's and the courts': those who cannot be charged should be repatriated. Nine-two percent of the Saudi detainees have been repatriated -- by George Bush.

Rand Paul is a breath of fresh air: a Republican is isn't against Big Government except when the Republicans are in power.; Reply to this comment


by fedup12 January 4, 2010 12:26 PM EST: Would be interesting to see a true fiscal conservative in the place.

You know- not one of those spend spend spend on everything but America, cut taxes and then have a war you cant pay for "conservatives" that the Republican Party has been full of for the last 40 years.

I would vote for one of those.; Reply to this comment


by rockcutr January 4, 2010 11:57 AM EST: A look at the Next best President of America.
unless your life is uneffected by present policy and your life is just great here in the land of the not so free...Shut up...; Reply to this comment


by jlailman January 2, 2010 4:59 AM EST: You better believe Dr. Rand Paul is a serious contender! The people are waking up all over the place and it finally reached Kentucky. The kamikaze path we are headed on as a country needs to be stopped. Our financial, foreign and domestic policies are completely unsustainable and the sooner we throw the bums that are responsible in both parties out of office, the better chance we have in saving our republic's very existence. The liberty movement is just gearing up for a long fight to win back control of our nation's destiny from the evil banksters and multi-national corporations who have demonstrated no allegiance to our sovereignty! The mainstream media will no longer be able to ignore the Constitutional Conservatives this time around and they better not try!; Reply to this comment

by rhysqqq January 1, 2010 2:26 PM EST

this graph struck me as poorly written (and i'll say why):

"He has reportedly already raised $1.7 million for his run, largely from people who supported his father's failed bid for the GOP presidential nomination last year."

ok... lets break it down. Of course he has "reportedly" raised money because you're a reporter.. everything you publish is "reportedly".

next, how do you know who's donated to him? Did you have even one source for that, never mind two?

Next, it's a bit of a run on sentence. Use some periods. Commas are great but periods are better.

last, unless Ron Paul is president and I missed it, it goes without saying that his bid failed. It seems like you guys just LIKE to say that whenever possible, quite frankly.

So please do something about your quality cause you're low on the scale.

Reply to this comment


by fedup12 January 4, 2010 12:31 PM EST: I didn't see any graphs. But I'll take your word for it.


by BrianWX328m December 31, 2009 3:46 AM EST: Right now I could close my eyes, pinata-style, and grab a person out of a random crowd at a plumbers convention who would do a better job than Obama.; Reply to this comment


by mrryanarnold December 31, 2009 12:23 AM EST: Rand Paul wants to shut down Gitmo. This guy is unfit to be a U.S. Senator. He will lose in a landslide.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4dm7MG_fYk; Reply to this comment


by GopIntegrity December 30, 2009 10:17 PM EST: I agree with stn_sage. My only concern is that he might loose his integrity and be a corporate water boy. If he is not a corporatist, then he will lend some credibility back to the Party. If he promotes a Tax code that no longer endangers the individual citizens liberty, life, property, or prosperity as the current codes do; then it will be a plus in my book.
If he takes a look at Mitch McConnell and tells him to sit down and shut up and do as he is told ... even better.; Reply to this comment

by lmartink December 30, 2009 3:33 PM EST

Paul says he believes "America can prosper, preserve personal liberty, and repel national security threats without intruding into the personal lives of its citizens."

How utterly and completely ignorant. Another GOP candidate. As dumb as a fencepost.

Reply to this comment


by libftw December 30, 2009 4:29 PM EST: Yep, name calling, the fruit of hatred.


by stn_sage December 30, 2009 5:00 PM EST: How is it...that this is an 'utterly and completely ignorant' stance?
We managed to do that fairly well until Bush/Cheney grabbed power in 2000!

If he resembles his father mostly in character, than he's hardly 'dumb as a fencepost'!

The real question is: if elected, would he keep his word and represent
the public or just be another 'water-boy' to corporate America?!