Rand Paul to plunge into North Carolina Senate race

[jct74]

Rand Paul to plunge into North Carolina Senate race

By MANU RAJU | 4/30/14 2:55 PM EDT

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul is making an 11th hour plunge into the North Carolina Senate race, aiming to boost his preferred candidate and block the GOP establishment’s favorite, state House Speaker Thom Tillis, from scoring a clean win in Tuesday’s primary.

The Kentucky Republican and potential presidential candidate said in an interview that he will stump on Monday for Republican Greg Brannon, a libertarian-minded candidate who is trying to ride a tea party wave into a runoff against Tillis, who is backed by the party establishment and is reportedly expected to receive the endorsement of Jeb Bush. Tillis is looking to avoid a runoff in North Carolina and quickly unite the party in the critical Senate race against Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan.

Tillis needs to eclipse 40 percent in the primary to win outright, and several recent polls have him on the cusp, making Paul’s move potentially a consequential one. If Tillis falls short, he would face a two-month runoff, draining his resources ahead of the general election.

Paul endorsed Brannon in October, but the senator hasn’t put his muscle behind the fellow physician since. Until now.

“I have decided today I’m going Monday to campaign for Greg Brannon in North Carolina,” Paul said in the Capitol Wednesday. “I think it’s pretty close there actually, and there’s a chance we can help him enough to push him over the top.”

The move by Paul is the latest effort by 2016 presidential hopefuls to exert themselves in 2014 primary races at a time when intra-party wars could jeopardize a prime GOP opportunity to retake the Senate. Most of the presumed 2016 candidates are either staying out of primary fights or taking a far more measured approach, calculating the risks of putting their name behind a candidate who could catch fire — or implode.

...

read more:
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/04/rand-paul-north-carolina-senate-race-2014-106205.html

[Brian4Liberty]

Great news!

461583031019769856

[libertyplz]

Great to hear!

Was wondering if/ when Rand was going to go down there. I'm actualy surprised it took so long for him to do this. I know Rand has a very busy schedule but would have been awesome if he could have gone there in support of Brannon sooner, but this is certainly better than nothing!

Here's to hoping this will get some last minute positive media coverage and get those on the fence to commit to Brannon.

Let's get this race to a run-off, or hell I'd take an outright win for Brannon too ;)

[eduardo89]

Why didn't RANDPAC run any ads?

[francisco]

Sorry to see this thread moved to the Brannon subforum. I think that the story is as much about Rand as Brannon. Rand is in fact taking a stand--even beyond his existing endorsement--where it can make a difference.

If Jeb winds up endorsing and actively working for Tillis, the NC Senate race in fact becomes a proxy battle (in demonstrating influence) between Jeb and Rand.

If this proxy battles does in fact evolve: Those in the the Liberty movement who see getting Rand into the Presidency as the best opportunity to advance the cause, would do well to throw more activist resources behind Brannon, as a way to furthur enhance Rand's stature.

Here is the vision: If Rand and the Grassroots were to successfully invest the resources to secure at least a runoff for Brannon, and at best an outright primary win, that would be very dramatic expression of the emerging power of the Liberty movement.

[Unknownuser]

Sorry to see this thread moved to the Brannon subforum. I think that the story is as much about Rand as Brannon. Rand is in fact taking a stand--even beyond his existing endorsement--where it can make a difference.

If Jeb winds up endorsing and actively working for Tillis, the NC Senate race in fact becomes a proxy battle (in demonstrating influence) between Jeb and Rand.

If this proxy battles does in fact evolve: Those in the the Liberty movement who see getting Rand into the Presidency as the best opportunity to advance the cause, would do well to throw more activist resources behind Brannon, as a way to furthur enhance Rand's stature.

Here is the vision: If Rand and the Grassroots were to successfully invest the resources to secure at least a runoff for Brannon, and at best an outright primary win, that would be very dramatic expression of the emerging power of the Liberty movement.


This.

[William Tell]

This.

It's on the front page.

[Matt Collins]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8jmo15liro

[jct74]

ok, moved this back to Rand's forum so people can focus on the impact for Rand and new thread in Greg's forum for event details and Greg's race.

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?450934-Rand-Paul-to-campaign-for-Greg-Brannon-on-Monday!

[RandallFan]

If Tillis loses in November Rand and Brannon will be vindicated. Then it is time to primary Burr in 2016.

[Unknownuser]

It's on the front page.

I was talking about the proxy battle between Rand and Jeb.

[Warlord]

Too late... the polls are showing Tillis way out in front now

[jjdoyle]

Too late... the polls are showing Tillis way out in front now

The key is keeping him under 40% in the outcome. Right now, the latest PPP poll has him at 46%:
http://www.citizen-times.com/story/elections/2014/04/29/thom-tills-senate-poll/8457311/

Is there another poll (or, polls), you have seen with higher numbers?

[anaconda]

Too late... the polls are showing Tillis way out in front now

PPP yesterday has Tillis at 46%, but it seems like all the others have him under 40%. He's well ahead of Brannon at the moment, but it still seems like a runoff is possible.

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/204645-poll-tillis-nearing-runoff-threshold-in-nc-gop-primary

[Aratus]

lets hope for the best, namely a run-off

[GunnyFreedom]

If Tillis loses in November Rand and Brannon will be vindicated. Then it is time to primary Burr in 2016.

Some folk at the Crystal Coast Taxpayers Association think they know who should replace Burr. I won't mention any names. :D

[francisco]

Jeb Bush officially weighs in with endorsement for Tillis

So the proxy battle comes into play


Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush offered his stamp of approval Thursday for Thom Tillis, who leads his party's field heading into next week's primary contest.

“Thom Tillis is a proven conservative leader with an impressive track record of results for North Carolina businesses and families,” Bush said in a statement. “His work on key issues like improving education, keeping taxes low and eliminating burdensome regulations is a testament to his leadership as North Carolina’s House Speaker."

Full article:

http://washingtonexaminer.com/jeb-bush-endorses-thom-tillis-in-north-carolina-senate-race/article/2547946

[Aratus]

And N.C by definition is situated on our maps right above S.C and lil ole S.C on the GOP side of things often has a brutal and pivotal POTUS primary.

Jeb wants an empire of hordes of loyal cadres that he can bus or truck over the mutual border. I'm focused on N.H primarily speaking but Ex-Gov JEB

has a case of POTOMAC FEVER worse than I or our own MATT COLLINs does! poor JEB is tryin' to hYde his rabid feverish impulses from his wise mother.

[francisco]

... Ex-Gov JEB has a case of POTOMAC FEVER worse than...our own MATT COLLINs does!...

THAT bad??? Whew

[GunnyFreedom]

And N.C by definition is situated on our maps right above S.C and lil ole S.C on the GOP side of things often has a brutal and pivotal POTUS primary.

Jeb wants an empire of hordes of loyal cadres that he can bus or truck over the mutual border. I'm focused on N.H primarily speaking but Ex-Gov JEB

has a case of POTOMAC FEVER worse than I or our own MATT COLLINs does! poor JEB is tryin' to hYde his rabid feverish impulses from his wise mother.

2016 NC Pres Primary will be 1 week after SC.

[Aratus]

seriously... in terms of 2016 --- JEB and our own MATT C. are equadistant to 1600 Penn Ave...

Randal Paul could be quite a factor in iowa, n.h and s.c BEGUZ dear governor gravitas is stuck in n.j

my local GOP people are often very Mittster, and are used to being smuck'd by our local Democrats...

i can try 4 a local HOUSE or SENATE seat, or think Veep or cabinet, but i once wanted to POTUS run

[Aratus]

2016 NC Pres Primary will be 1 week after SC.

heck, gunny... amtr@k can be a joke, carpooling takes block booking, and old campaign buses

can break down so fast it ain't funny. a lack of organization is lethal to any rolling bandwagon!

[Aratus]

its like delegate 3/4th of one's groundlings to iowa, 1/4th to n.h early, and after sending 1/4th from

iowa to n.h you then converge ALL on S.C + N.C! 2o16 could be a total zoo for a guy like rick perry!!!

[GunnyFreedom]

heck, gunny... amtr@k can be a joke, carpooling takes block booking, and old campaign buses

can break down so fast it ain't funny. a lack of organization is lethal to any rolling bandwagon!

Been begging Rand to get active in NC since they passed it a year ago. Now he is in NC for Brannon, in CHarlotte, and I probably won't be able to go because I am chief poll judge for my precinct. :-p