Unless Rand Paul can woo Kentucky Republican leaders, his attempt to run for both president and the Senate could end.
Legal hurdles and financial considerations might prevent Paul from running simultaneously; for one, it could cost the Kentucky GOP almost $600,000 if not more, and for another, Kentucky would have to replace its presidential primary for a caucus to avoid legal rules preventing a candidate from appearing twice on a ballot.
They must make a decision by Aug. 22, according to Politico, but it isn’t looking too good for the once promising candidate.
In a Real Clear Politics poll average, Paul garnered as much as 11.3 percent support at the end of February. Since then, however, he has lost popularity, with the most recent averaging on Aug. 11 placing his support at 4.4 percent.
With an underwhelming debate performance, weak fundraising, and friends facing a Justice Department indictment, the Paul campaign faces large problems and unflattering media coverage.
The Republican nomination is anything but certain, but Paul’s campaign needs a re-invigoration to recover from his summer doldrums.
If he fails to win the legal battle in Kentucky, his presidential aspirations won’t disappear. He’ll have to decide between a safer path of re-election to the Senate or a (for now) long shot at the Republican presidential nomination.
