Rand Paul to Run for President in 2016
Libertarian Senator Rand Paul has announced his candidacy for the Presidency in the upcoming 2016 elections.
The announcement was released through his website and included a video message as well as a statement.
The statement reads, “ ‘I am running for president to return our country to the principles of liberty and limited’ — Rand Paul”.
Paul included a video with a personal testimony from his wife, Kelley Ashby Paul, and some background context on Paul’s religion, surgical career, family, philanthropy and upbringing.
Paul is scheduled to begin his campaign in Louisville, Kentucky.
(Rand Paul Travels to Louisville)
He will then answer questions via Facebook according to reporter Emma Roller of the National Journal.
As for other GOP candidates who have announced, Paul will be joining Senator Ted Cruz, who recently announced his candidacy via his twitter, former IRS Commissioner Mark Everson and 2012 Prohibition Party nominee Jack Fellure.
2016 Presidential Primary Polls have placed Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and Florida Governor Jeb Bush as top competitors.
Donald Trump has also been a projected potential candidate and ranked above Paul in a Monmouth University poll released on Monday.
“It’ll be interesting to see where this race goes,” said Alexa Morgan, a USC Public Policy major, “I know that his father (Ron Paul) has ran several times in the past, but Ran (Jr.) seems to have a different approach in this election”.
Senator Paul’s father, Ron Paul, 75, did in fact run for a seat in the oval office in the 1988, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2008, and 2012 primary elections.
In May of 2012, Ron Paul announced he would no longer be running in Presidential Primaries, and later endorsed Republican candidate Mitt Romney in an interview with The New York Times.
Ron Paul has yet to release a statement regarding his son’s announcement.
Outside of scattered polls it is unclear of where Rand stands in the upcoming election rankings.
The stance of Libertarians in the GOP is unclear until all candidates have announced their running.
Self-identified Libertarians are a minority in the Republican Party.
An Analysis of the 2014 Pew Polarization data set projected that only 8 percent of Libertarian leaning Republican’s take the libertarian position National Security Agency’s surveillance, America’s role in the world, the efficacy of military intervention, and drug sentencing.
Paul’s 2016 candidacy campaign includes key swing states including Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire and is expected to begin on Tuesday.
Alexia Narcisse, Neon Tommy
