His challenger was flaky and wasn’t going to win, and the 2008 republican ticket turning on itself would have dominated the news and the entire tone of the 2010 election, and it would have destroyed what turned out to be an historical victory for conservatives and republican. You cannot confuse such huge, national strategic events, with Paul’s simple establishment pandering and support.
Paul is just a pandering rino/libertarian, who could have helped the tea party, but instead turned his back on it in Mississippi, and with McConnell and who was entirely too enthusiastic about Romney.
“Rand Paul to steer clear of Mississippi runoff”
“Rand Paul: It’s a ‘misnomer’ to say McConnell isn’t conservative”
“Rand Paul To Campaign for Romney”
March, 2013—”Rand Paul endorses Mitch McConnell in 2014 Senate race, won’t back tea party challenge”
He had been a member of the House and put up a pretty good voting record. We'd be better off with him in the Senate than with Gutless Juan McVain, the Amnesty Whore.