The Hill speculates Rand may be planning to run if Ron decides against it, from trips

[sailingaway]

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/147395-rand-paul-adds-new-hamshire-trip-in-april

IF Ron decided not to run, which I hope he does run, then I sure as hell hope Rand would run. I have been wondering if they were keeping both options open on purpose. No idea.

Love the Hill's language 'these trips to NH and Iowa do nothing to tamp down speculation Rand might run if his father decides against another run....' which means the Hill is the one speculating....

[eduardo89]

I don't think Rand would run, he knows he's doing a lot of good work in the Senate and a presidential run in 2012 wouldn't work out. I hope he does run in 2016 though!

[squarepusher]

doubtful imo

[Southron]

I want to see him in the Senate for a long time.

[TXcarlosTX]

He can run if Ron doesnt. All he is doing is introducing legislation that cant pass and voting against legislation that is unconstitutional. That shoulder take up much time.

[Guitarzan]

Rand has influence now. He's using that influence to help Ron's upcoming campaign.

Hell, there's a certain % of primary voters who will end up voting for Ron while thinking they're voting for Rand if the campaign is run correctly.

[BamaAla]

Maybe in 2016 or 2020. There is no way a first term senator could win...wait

[eduardo89]

I want to see him in the Senate for a long time.

And by that you mean his self imposed 2 term limit, right? ;)

[Lucille]

I don't think Rand would run, he knows he's doing a lot of good work in the Senate and a presidential run in 2012 wouldn't work out. I hope he does run in 2016 though!

I believe Obama will be reelected in '12 (to vote out The First Black President after only one term would be racist) and then, Rand will win the presidency in 2016 in the most epic way.

I might also add, according to Martin Armstrong's cycle theory, we won't see real change until 2016. Obama could win or lose according to that though, b/c any of those also-ran front-running Republican clowns will be a vote for More of the Same.

[Flash]

And by that you mean his self imposed 2 term limit, right? ;)

Are you speculating? During the campaign he considered self-imposing term limits on himself, but has yet to confirm what he is intending. Obviously I hope he takes Ron Paul's position and continues to promote term limits while holding a political office. Although he'll be criticized for being hypocritical like RP was during the '08 campaign.

[QueenB4Liberty]

I don't think Rand will run.

[eduardo89]

Are you speculating? During the campaign he considered self-imposing term limits on himself, but has yet to confirm what he is intending. Obviously I hope he takes Ron Paul's position and continues to promote term limits while holding a political office. Although he'll be criticized for being hypocritical like RP was during the '08 campaign.

I think Rand will stick to his 2 term limit, and hopefully run for president in 2020

[Cowlesy]

Rand doesn't seem like the type to shrink from a challenge.

[sailingaway]

I want to see him in the Senate for a long time.

Yeah. And first of all, I hope Ron runs. He is immersed in the issues more deeply than Rand, and there is no question about him not having 'the record'. I am not comparing them. I just meant if Ron decided NOT to run, then Rand would be looking at running in 2016 when he is up for Senate and I'm not sure if KY allows him to run for both. Plus, he might want the greater exposure from some presidential debates. I mean a lot of people run to get their ideas more exposure. Plus, the moment might just be sufficiently 'right' to get him elected as it wasn't in 2008 and might not be in 2016. He might have other reasons not to want to, like too much to do on Capital Hill, but I'm getting the impression he doesn't think Congress works very hard and is keeping himself from going stir crazy.

I wasn't making a recommendation, really, and I think Ron is running in any event, but it doesn't hurt him for an eventual run, whenever, to be in these venues, now.

[Agorism]

Well if Ron won't run then Rand would be a good candidate.

[sailingaway]

I think Rand will stick to his 2 term limit, and hopefully run for president in 2020

He outright said he doesn't believe in self imposed term limits because then the good ones go home and the bad ones stay. I think he was thinking of when his Dad self imposed a term limit by running for Senate (and tried so hard to win, he sent his college aged kid to the debate in his place, so he could be back on the Hill for a vote.)

So it isn't a matter of keeping his word. If he decides he wants to stay in the Senate that would be up to him.

[eduardo89]

He outright said he doesn't believe in self imposed term limits because then the good ones go home and the bad ones stay. I think he was thinking of when his Dad self imposed a term limit by running for Senate (and tried so hard to win, he sent his college aged kid to the debate in his place, so he could be back on the Hill for a vote.)

So it isn't a matter of keeping his word. If he decides he wants to stay in the Senate that would be up to him.

as long as there are no legally imposed term limits, which hopefully get implemented sometime soon, i do think rand should stay in the senate. i just hope that doesn't stop him from running for president

[jct74]

Rand's spokerperson said this:


“I can promise you that he is not running for anything,” said Paul spokeswoman Moira Bagley. “His dad would probably not appreciate that.”

h ttp://www.courier-journal.com/article/20110302/NEWS01/303020129/-1/ZONE10/Rand-Paul-headed-Iowa-GOP-speech?odyssey=nav%7Chead

[eduardo89]

I think that's a hint that Ron is running!!!

[RileyE104]

Has no one else thought that his trips to these places are to HELP a Ron Paul 2012 presidential campaign?

[sailingaway]

Has no one else thought that his trips to these places are to HELP a Ron Paul 2012 presidential campaign?

Oh, sure. That is the other primary thought. But the Hill is spinning speculation.

[aGameOfThrones]

Maybe in 2016 or 2020. There is no way a first term senator could win...wait

Barry S. did.

[eduardo89]

Has no one else thought that his trips to these places are to HELP a Ron Paul 2012 presidential campaign?

Make sense.

[RileyE104]

Make sense.

I mean, to me, he's basically semi-campaigning for his father's pre-presidential run.

I've been noticing that lately whenever they give speeches or interviews, their rhetoric is virtually the same! To me, this means they are trying their hardest to get the public ready for when Ron decides to run again while at the same time building name-recognition for Rand, for a 2016 run.

Of course, I could just be dreaming. :p

[cindy25]

it would be better for Rand to run in 2012 than 2016; 2012 there is no risk; his seat is up in 2016; plus this is the perfect storm where foreign policy could help Rand.
Rand might be able to slip thru in a weak field that 2012 is producing.

but I think this could be a play for VP; brokered convention + RP delegates = Rand as VP

[eduardo89]

It's obvious that he's there campaigning for his Dad, and I think that's great! Especially now that he's a US Senator it will help quite a bit and people will also get to know him (so he can run in 2016!)

[malkusm]

It's very simple....Rand Paul is touring early primary states to broaden his father's base, and/or to make the name "Paul" stick in the heads of voters.

[TheTyke]

Yeah, he's doing it to pave the way for his Dad. (It also won't hurt to get recognized for whatever lies in the future.. heh heh) But The Tea Party Goes to Washington was practically a big campaign ad for his Dad, to explain his positions to the tea party base... Rand is doing all he can.

Now, I just wish Ron would throw a little red meat in his speeches to fire up the Republican voters. I love him for his frankness and educational abilities, but focusing almost exclusively on foreign policy and inflation won't win an election... he opposes bailouts, spending, debt and Obamacare... I'd like to see half of any speech focus on those topics to draw in the primary voters.

[sailingaway]

Yeah, he's doing it to pave the way for his Dad. (It also won't hurt to get recognized for whatever lies in the future.. heh heh) But The Tea Party Goes to Washington was practically a big campaign ad for his Dad, to explain his positions to the tea party base... Rand is doing all he can.

Now, I just wish Ron would throw a little red meat in his speeches to fire up the Republican voters. I love him for his frankness and educational abilities, but focusing almost exclusively on foreign policy and inflation won't win an election... he opposes bailouts, spending, debt and Obamacare... I'd like to see half of any speech focus on those topics to draw in the primary voters.

Yeah, me too. Ron always tries to educate on the points his audience may NOT agree with -- he rarely points out that he was the one leading the way on all the things his audience now DOES agree with him on.

[Flash]

Well if Ron won't run then Rand would be a good candidate.

He would. But I'm sticking with popular opinion and saying he's campaigning for his father. Rand is a brilliant speaker and really knows how to appeal to social conservatives, which I believe is Ron's weak point.

[AuH20]

Perhaps Rand isn't running but 2012 is a swell year to be Rand Paul. IMHO Rand is the only conservative candidate that could theoretically beat Obama, because:
(1) he could get enough mainstream republican votes to escape the Republican primaries, which is Ron's biggest weakness. In all likelihood, Ron will not be able to achieve escape velocity on the Republican side.
(2) he's the greatest fusion candidate to come along since Ronald Wilson Reagan. In other words, a candidate that could unite straight party identifiable Republicans and the paleoconservative/Tea Party/ libertarian slice. Look at all the other republican candidates and their appeal is generally limited nationally to particular demographics.

[AuH20]

BTW Did anyone ever read this article by Salon six months ago about Rand's presidential prospects? They are very fearful of him and extremely respectful of his political potential.

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/05/17/rand_paul_president_2012


But Rand Paul, as Salon's Ben van Heuvelen pointed out last week, is a far more capable politician than his father. He's a natural speaker who knows how to connect with crowds, and he's shrewdly insulated himself from neoconservative attacks. As Ben observed, he's pulled off a remarkable feat in Kentucky: uniting his father's libertarian army with Rush Limbaugh's Dittoheads in a coalition that the party establishment has been powerless to stop. If he could even begin to replicate that Kentucky formula on the national stage, Rand Paul would be far more formidable than Ron Paul ever was or ever could be.

And 2012 may be the best shot that Rand Paul ever gets. With all that's happened in the past few years, there will probably never be this much room in the GOP for an authentically libertarian candidate. Don't look for Rand Paul to even acknowledge this between now and November. That's no way to run for an open Senate seat. But after November? Don't be surprised if he does.