U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky formally launched a bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 on Tuesday.
Paul, the son of former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, launched his campaign with a rally in Louisville before heading off to Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada -- states which have traditionally held early primaries and caucuses.
"I am running for president to return our country to the principles of liberty and limited government, Paul announced on a new website on Tuesday.
I have a message: a message that is loud and clear and does not mince words, Paul said at the campaign kickoff in Louisville. We have come to take our country back.
During his speech in Louisville, Paul slammed the special interests he insisted controlled Washington, D.C. Paul also weighed in on foreign policy, generally taking a less interventionist stance in the Middle East than most of the other potential Republican presidential candidates.
Paul becomes the second major candidate to officially seek the Republican presidential nomination, joining U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who launched his bid at the end of last month. Former IRS Commissioner Mark Everson is also running for the Republican nomination.
For his part, Cruz welcomed Paul into the race, calling him a good friend and offering some praise.
Rand is a good friend, and we have worked side by side on many issues, Cruz said on Tuesday. I respect his talent, his passion, and the work he has done for Kentuckians and Americans in the U.S. Senate. His entry into the race will no doubt raise the bar of competition, help make us all stronger, and ultimately ensure that the GOP nominee is equipped to beat Hillary Clinton and to take back the White House for Republicans in 2016.
Leaders from conservative groups also praised Paul getting in the race with Sal Russo, the chief strategist for the Tea Party Express, calling the 2016 election a coming-of-age for the tea party movement and praising Paul, Cruz and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who is expected to formally launch a presidential bid next week.
In 2010, we surprised the pundits and won the House of Representatives, Russo said on Tuesday. In 2014, we finished our sweep of Congress by electing a conservative, Republican majority to the U.S. Senate. Tea party-aligned candidates now look to take our message of fiscal responsibility and economic growth all the way to the White House.
It took the anti-war movement 25 years before they elected one of their own, President Bill Clinton, to the White House, Russo added. The conservative Goldwater movement took 27 years before they elected one of their own, President Ronald Reagan. Now, after only five years, the tea party movement is likely to have three serious presidential candidates in 2016. Sen. Ted Cruz was the first to announce last week; Sen. Rand Paul is announcing tomorrow; and we are expecting Sen. Marco Rubio to complete the tea partys 2016 trifecta next week. All three of these senators ran in contested primaries against establishment candidates; yet, all three emerged victorious with a groundswell of grassroots conservative, tea party support. We are proud to have pre-primary endorsed all three of their Senate campaigns.
Since his tea party-fueled election in 2010, Sen. Paul has been a powerful voice for change in Washington, Russo said. He has been a leader in advocating for new ideas and solutions to Americas problems that both excite the conservative base of the GOP and appeal to groups of voters that have been elusive for Republicans to capture in recent elections.
Matt Kibbe, the president of Freedom Works, agreed that Paul could bring in new voters to the Republican tent.
"For his part, Paul has been appealing to a growing libertarian streak in the American electorate, particularly among young people, Kibbe said on Tuesday. His unconventional work on criminal justice reform represents one of the few opportunities for genuine bipartisan cooperation in gridlocked Washington."
Paul drew the fire of U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), on Tuesday.
"Rand Paul says he wants to unleash the American dream but the only thing a Paul presidential candidacy unleashes is a massive lurch backwards to failed policies and narrow-minded extremism, Wasserman Schultz said. He says hes something different, but when you take a look, hes the same as any other Republican presidential hopeful: good for the wealthiest few and bad for the middle class, and taking positions that are way outside the mainstream on issue after issue.
This is a classic example of a GOP presidential candidate thinking he can talk his way into our communities while turning his back on us when it comes to his policy prescriptions, Wasserman Schultz added. Not only is Rand Paul not going to make the GOPs tent any bigger, the tent actually collapses under the weight of his harmful policies. How can Rand Paul seek to broaden Republicans appeal when he has voiced opposition to the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, opposed comprehensive immigration reform, written a budget slashing Pell Grants, belittled LGBT rights, and introduced bills to take womens health-care decisions out of their hands? On issue after issue his policies are the same as the rest of the GOP, but even more extreme, and will turn back the clock on the progress we have made. That sounds like the same old Republican Party to me and it will to voters as well, who want a president who will fight to help them climb the ladder of opportunity."
Despite two possible Republican presidential contenders claiming Florida as their base -- Rubio and former Gov. Jeb Bush --Paul has been active in the Sunshine State in recent months. In the 2014 elections, Paul was a prominent supporter of three Florida congressmen: U.S. Reps. Curt Clawson, David Jolly and Ted Yoho.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
