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Rand Paul The GOP Front Runner? Not Likely
Outside The Beltway ^ | December 10, 2014 | Doug Mataconis

Posted on 12/10/2014 7:45:42 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

In a post ranking the potential Republican candidates for President, Chris Cillizza and Aaron Blake put Kentucky Senator at the top of the list:

1. Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.). People used to roll their eyes when we said Paul had a real chance to be the Republican nominee in 2016. Not anymore. Paul has a unique activist and fundraising base, thanks to his father’s two runs for president, and has shown considerable savvy in his outreach to the establishment end of the party over the past few years. Paul still says odd things — his blaming of high cigarette taxes for Eric Garner’s chokehold death at the hands of New York City police being the latest — that would get him in trouble in the heat of a presidential race. But he is the candidate furthest along in the planning process for president and the one with the most strength in early states such as Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

At first glance, it seems like an odd choice. While it is true that Senator Paul has proven himself to be quite politically adept, especially for someone who had not held political office before January 2011 and who had not even run for office in his own right until his first Senate campaign in 2010, although he had been involved in many of his father’s campaigns over the years. Indeed, perhaps the most striking thing about Senator Paul has been the extent to which he has been different from his father both in the issues that he has chosen to emphasize publicly and in the political skill that he has demonstrated during his short time in office....

(Excerpt) Read more at outsidethebeltway.com ...


TOPICS: Campaign News; Issues; Parties; U.S. Senate
KEYWORDS: 2016; iowa; randpaul; tedcruz
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Comments?
1 posted on 12/10/2014 7:45:42 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I would like a President that actually dismantles something in the government. Something!


2 posted on 12/10/2014 7:52:40 PM PST by Jim from C-Town (The government is rarely benevolent, often malevolent and never benign!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
The boss says it best and succinctly:

FURP!

No liberals, no way!

3 posted on 12/10/2014 7:53:22 PM PST by re_nortex (DP - that's what I like about Texas)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

How about Cruz?


4 posted on 12/10/2014 7:54:56 PM PST by reasonisfaith ("...because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." (2 Thessalonians))
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To: reasonisfaith
Has he announced? Has anyone?

/johnny

5 posted on 12/10/2014 7:56:16 PM PST by JRandomFreeper (gone Galt)
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To: JRandomFreeper

Just asking.


6 posted on 12/10/2014 7:57:18 PM PST by reasonisfaith ("...because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." (2 Thessalonians))
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To: reasonisfaith
The only people asking for endorsements before anyone has announced are liberal republicans that want to clear the field.

/johnny

7 posted on 12/10/2014 7:59:51 PM PST by JRandomFreeper (gone Galt)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Yuck! No Rand Paul.


8 posted on 12/10/2014 8:00:29 PM PST by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light..... Isaiah 5:20)
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9 posted on 12/10/2014 8:24:50 PM PST by Baynative (Did you ever notice that atheists don't dare sue Muslims?)
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To: The Ghost of FReepers Past

Who do you like?


10 posted on 12/10/2014 8:26:00 PM PST by Bainbridge
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To: Jim from C-Town

“I would like a President that actually dismantles something in the government. Something!”

AMEIN!!!!!!!!

I don’t trust the players in the game, however I think Rand will actually dismantle parts of the catastrophic mess that is our government. Who knows at this point....


11 posted on 12/10/2014 8:28:45 PM PST by foundedonpurpose
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To: Bainbridge

So far I like Huckabee (yes I know he is hated by too many but this is about who I like), Cruz (hated, too, but by a different group), Perry (same).

I am not sure a consensus will be easy. The “big tent” is too big to have coherent and consistent principles any longer.

For me, I will only vote for a social conservative. Period. I also want all the classic conservative fiscal principles back — like the contract with America days. But I will overlook some of that before I will overlook certain social issues. Abortion and homosexual everything are points of no compromise. I cannot respect anyone not strong on those issues.


12 posted on 12/10/2014 8:35:26 PM PST by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light..... Isaiah 5:20)
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To: JRandomFreeper

Too early for anyone to formally announce. The moment they do, the candidate better have a football field full of ready cash by the barrel. There will be intro ads to run, ads that answer competitors who are reacting to your ads. Then you must launch attack ads against those who have disrespected or challenged or ignored you.

And you don’t want to pin yourself down too early with cut and dry beliefs on certain topics. Female Gop candidates are strongly advised to keep any history of ‘dabbling in Witchcraft’ or Polyamory to themselves or totally off the internet. Male GOP candidates are strongly advised not to give any opinion on ‘the validity of rape charges’ if at all possible. Just say, “I’ll ask my wife about this one”. This is but one of the ‘quicksand’ black hole topics that can swiftly overwhelm and destroy the most clever campaign.


13 posted on 12/10/2014 9:08:38 PM PST by lee martell
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To: JRandomFreeper

Even on anonymous websites?


14 posted on 12/10/2014 9:18:13 PM PST by reasonisfaith ("...because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." (2 Thessalonians))
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Not far enough to the right for me, but farther right than anyone I’ve had the opportunity to vote for in the general in my lifetime.

I think the Senate is a great place for him (and Cruz, and DeMint, and 60 or so like them).

Walker/West is my dream team right now. I’ll take any combination that includes them, Paul, Palin, Palin, or Cruz.


15 posted on 12/10/2014 9:33:39 PM PST by Darth Reardon (Is it any wonder I'm not the president?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I stand with Ted


16 posted on 12/10/2014 9:33:58 PM PST by Nifster
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To: Nifster

As do I. I will do whatever it takes.


17 posted on 12/10/2014 9:34:27 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I too am all in


18 posted on 12/10/2014 9:40:25 PM PST by Nifster
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To: The Ghost of FReepers Past

I will vote for any one if he/she is a fiscal conservative.
Walker, Perry, Cruz & Rand Paul are fiscal conservatives with courage to change the direction. Crony capitalism must be ended. Palin is the best but she may not run.

$18 Trillion recorded debt.
Debt will be $20 Trillion by the time Obummer leaves (if he does leave, do not count on it. He has no regard for the constitution)

Fiscal issues if not corrected soon will be the demise of this great country.


19 posted on 12/10/2014 10:00:02 PM PST by entropy12 (Dumb and Dumber to borrow money from China to protect oil flow to China from middle-east.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; Nifster

Same here. I’ve never endorsed anyone this early, but Cruz is the real deal.


20 posted on 12/11/2014 3:11:04 AM PST by lormand (Inside every liberal is a dung slinging monkey)
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