The Rand Machine Ramps Up - Rand Paul’s top aide prepares for a presidential campaign.

[DGambler]

Rand Paul’s chief strategist is leaving his Senate post to run the Kentucky Republican’s political shop.

Doug Stafford, who is widely seen as Paul’s closest adviser, will soon resign as chief of staff to manage Paul’s national political operation. Today’s news is the clearest sign yet that Paul, a potential 2016 contender, is building a presidential campaign.

More at link: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/347241/rand-machine-ramps

[PatriotOne]

Anyone else excited and exhausted at the same time thinking about 3 1/2 more years of another roller coaster ride? My bullet proof vest hasn't even had a chance to get dusty.

[Sola_Fide]

Anyone else excited and exhausted at the same time thinking about 3 1/2 more years of another roller coaster ride? My bullet proof vest hasn't even had a chance to get dusty.

It's going to be strange because Rand will be portrayed as an "extreme libertarian", and most people in the liberty movement will be trying to explain that Rand really isn't a libertarian.

[BamaAla]

I thought I'd never see "quixotic" again after Ron retired, but it's right there in the story :
"Though hardly the front-runner, Paul is well positioned to have a real shot at the 2016 nomination, and run a presidential campaign quite different from his father’s quixotic bids."

lol

I stand with Rand y'all!

[ninepointfive]

cool - let's hope they hire a respectable social media person for the position.

[Lucille]

Rand Paul 2016, More and More Obvious
http://reason.com/blog/2013/05/02/rand-paul-2016-more-and-more-obvious


...Managing Paul's post-filibuster fame--and widening out his appeal from the narrowly libertarian in a party still distressingly quick to run from libertarian ideas about foreign policy, civil liberties, the drug war, and even spending--will be an interesting more than full-time job for Stafford, to be sure.

I wrote in the New York Times in February about Rand Paul and the future of the GOP.

[cero]

It's going to be strange because Rand will be portrayed as an "extreme libertarian", and most people in the liberty movement will be trying to explain that Rand really isn't a libertarian.

hahahahahahah oh god, I can see it now

[Matt Collins]

Anyone else excited and exhausted at the same time thinking about 3 1/2 more years of another roller coaster ride? My bullet proof vest hasn't even had a chance to get dusty.If you aren't doing politics then politics is doing you.

[Matt Collins]

I love it, in 1 paragraph it says "though he is hardly the frontrunner"..... and then two paragraphs down it says "a survey pegged Rand and Rubio as the two leading candidates to win the GOP nomination" :rolleyes:

[satchelmcqueen]

yes its starting. ive seen low ball comments for a few months now towards rand in the news articles. not hardly the frint runner they say. well almost every thing ive seen says he IS the front runner. here we go again.
I thought I'd never see "quixotic" again after Ron retired, but it's right there in the story :
"Though hardly the front-runner, Paul is well positioned to have a real shot at the 2016 nomination, and run a presidential campaign quite different from his father’s quixotic bids."

lol

I stand with Rand y'all!

[Brett85]

It's going to be strange because Rand will be portrayed as an "extreme libertarian", and most people in the liberty movement will be trying to explain that Rand really isn't a libertarian.

Yeah, I know. They're basically going to paint Rand has some sort of "extreme libertarian," and then I suppose anyone who's more libertarian than Rand will be called an "anarchist."

[radiofriendly]

Anyone else excited and exhausted at the same time thinking about 3 1/2 more years of another roller coaster ride? My bullet proof vest hasn't even had a chance to get dusty.

Yep, I hear ya! The libertarians (and many anarchists and confused leftists) screaming that "he's not a libertarian" are actually going to help us and, of course, be super annoying. How can Sen. Paul be an extreme libertarian? See, the Daily Paul says he's not! lol

[Aratus]

I love it, in 1 paragraph it says "though he is hardly the frontrunner"..... and then two paragraphs down it says "a survey pegged Rand and Rubio as the two leading candidates to win the GOP nomination" :rolleyes:

matt... in new hampshire, colorado and missouri, from what i saw of the new polls, rand paul did best marco rubio,
and sometimes this happened even with ted cruz's vote being added in! doug wead's strategy for iowa is doable!!!

[RonPaulFanInGA]

"Though hardly the front-runner, Paul is well positioned to have a real shot at the 2016 nomination, and run a presidential campaign quite different from his father’s quixotic bids."

Rand Paul is not the front-runner, but he's certainly a front-runner. The recent New Hampshire poll from PPP confirms that much.

[Aratus]

you are reminding us all of a very basic & wise truth in MY proverbial neck of the woods, RonPaulFaninGA!
the three early polls i saw, namely those in CO + MO + NH have me hopeful and happy! the sample is small
but many of these local activists have a significant impact on local races, given their zeal and dedication!

[V3n]

Please no Jesse Benton! Please no Jesse Benton! Please no Jesse Benton!

[Aratus]

mitch mcconnell in a wise KY politician manner has brilliantly snarfed up the mastermind of the
recent potus run by doctor ron paul so that he can get his wily self re-elected to the senate

[Jamesiv1]

doug wead's strategy for iowa is doable!!!
man... I hope Doug Wead is a member of Rand's inner circle - if not in front of the camera, then certainly as an advisor.

Wead's experience is deep and wide.

[Aratus]

agreed!!!!!!!!!!!!

[eleganz]

matt... in new hampshire, colorado and missouri, from what i saw of the new polls, rand paul did best marco rubio,
and sometimes this happened even with ted cruz's vote being added in! doug wead's strategy for iowa is doable!!!

What is Doug Wead's strategy?

[TomtheTinker]

^^^^^

[FriedChicken]

A reference to Doug's Ron Paul 2012 strategy he wrote about in a blog before the campaign got started I'm assuming. Where the Ames straw poll is used a spring board for the rest of the nomination.

It really seemed like the most realistic way for Ron Paul to win and I can't help but wonder how different things would have been if Ron had won the Ames poll. Could have made a difference in the caucus, which would have changed everything. Losing Iowa was crippling.

[Matt Collins]

Where the Ames straw poll is used a spring board for the rest of the nomination.

It really seemed like the most realistic way for Ron Paul to win and I can't help but wonder how different things would have been if Ron had won the Ames poll. Could have made a difference in the caucus, which would have changed everything. Losing Iowa was crippling.Look at the history of who has won Ames Straw Poll and who has received the nomination. That will tell you all you need to know.

[FriedChicken]

Ames Poll hasn't picked the winner recently but it does offer a temporary bump, press coverage, etc. and if Rand wins the poll then the caucus it makes him look unstoppable. For the past two nominations the winner at Ames did not win the caucus.

It also raises TONS of money for the IA GOP, who are now the good guys.

[eleganz]

It also raises TONS of money for the IA GOP, who are now the good guys.

tru dat yo.

[Aratus]

agreed!