Rand Paul’s 2028 ambitions face early test in Thomas Massie’s fight for political survival

Published April 25, 2026 5:00am ET



Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is eyeing another presidential run in 2028 — but first, he’s testing his political strength by going all-in to save Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) from a Trump-backed primary challenger.

Paul has increasingly cast himself as a counterweight to Trump-style populism, arguing the GOP needs to rebuild a “free-market wing” made up of libertarians, business conservatives, and noninterventionists skeptical of foreign wars.

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