We need more Andrew Jackson (‘Rat though he was) level hardasses who beat the tar out of intimidators and would be assassins. Can you imagine the cred Paul would have accumulated if when he was assaulted by his neighbor he’d beat him within an inch of his life or left him with a length of reinforcing steel sticking out of his chest?
Sen. Paul suffered 5 or six broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung. IIRC he later had to have surgery to have part of that lung removed.
The neighbor who attacked him was an MD anesthesiologist, so presumably he’d have enough background knowledge of the lungs/ribs to inflict maximum damage.
Also, IIRC, the assailant was originally given just one month in jail: upped to six months after frenzied protests.
Compare that to (say) the arrest of Roger Stone.