GOP - Rand Paul's Presidential Highlight Reel w/ his Libertarian Twist

[beetcoin]

There is very little chance of Rand Paul winning the race. Even if he is ahead, the other "mainstream" Republicans such as Bush and Huckabee would gang-up together to defeat him.

I think that is only the case if the average voter is not truly educated on the candidates.  I think he is the best candidate from that lot for sure.  The least likely to play politics in important issues.  Even thought I'm skeptical of him he's the only one of them even close to change from the norm.    

this is how i feel. but not just that.. being electable is one thing, and fundraising is another. if you're going to do what rand talks about, then he's going to have a lot of monied people against him.. either that, or he receives money from them and the same shit happens as with every president.

[Chef Ramsay]

There is very little chance of Rand Paul winning the race. Even if he is ahead, the other "mainstream" Republicans such as Bush and Huckabee would gang-up together to defeat him.

I think that is only the case if the average voter is not truly educated on the candidates.  I think he is the best candidate from that lot for sure.  The least likely to play politics in important issues.  Even thought I'm skeptical of him he's the only one of them even close to change from the norm.    

this is how i feel. but not just that.. being electable is one thing, and fundraising is another. if you're going to do what rand talks about, then he's going to have a lot of monied people against him.. either that, or he receives money from them and the same shit happens as with every president.

There's another option and that is not making yourself a potent enemy of the political and establishment donor class in terms of them using the media and their money to destroy you. That is what Rand has been doing when meeting w/ these elements on a regular basis. He's also been showing these same types how much of a broad coalition he can put together and most of them just want to win w/o being aboard some perceived isolationist train. This latest spat between Gov. Perry and Rand has Rand going on the offensive and not letting the opposition define him for the public. He's been winning this go around because he's been planning his way around these neocons for years as he's seen what his dad went through. He's a very committed and intelligent person that won't let some chump political class mouth upend his honor or credibility. The latest shows all over CNN, MSNBC and some on Fox called this battle for Rand and are seriously considering that he could be the GOP nominee because the public isn't being fooled by the neocons anymore.

Check out Chris Matthew and his panel on MSNBC yesterday evening
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-EzoOD_628

Your also have what is termed as the "Rand Paul Pile On" meaning all the neocons are going for broke trying to knock him down a peg yet this just makes moderates and independents and some liberals like him even more.

If you had any doubts about how seriously some Republicans are taking the notion of a Rand Paul presidency, look at how far they’re going to shut down his views on foreign policy.

In the past three days alone, Texas Gov. Rick Perry used a Washington Post op-ed to warn about the dangers of “isolationism” and describe Paul as “curiously blind” to growing threats in Iraq. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) accused the Kentucky senator on CNN of wanting a “withdrawal to fortress America.” And former Vice President Dick Cheney declared at a POLITICO Playbook luncheon on Monday that “isolationism is crazy,” while his daughter, Liz Cheney, said Paul “leaves something to be desired in terms of national security policy.”

The pre-emptive strikes suggest that many in GOP fear Paul is winning the foreign policy argument with the American people – and that that could make him a formidable candidate in 2016. After all, second-tier presidential hopefuls don’t usually get shouted down this way.

“I think the general fear on the part of a lot of leaders in the Republican Party is that there’s an isolationist temptation after two big wars, an isolationist temptation in the American electorate,” said Elliott Abrams, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who was a deputy national security adviser in the George W. Bush administration. “And I think people are genuinely concerned about it and desirous of trying to stop it before it spreads further.”

...

More...http://www.politico.com/story/2014/07/rand-paul-foreign-policy-108897.html

[Benjig]

McCain: Paul a part of ‘Fortress America’ wing

By Martin Matishak - 07/13/14 10:03 AM EDT

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Sunday waded into a brewing foreign policy debate inside the Republican Party, saying Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) represents a more isolationist outlook.

Paul is “part of a wing of the party that has been there prior to World War I, that is a withdrawal to ‘Fortress America,’” McCain said on CNN’s "State of the Union."

...

McCain, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with Paul, acknowledged the freshman senator has a “far different view than mine of the world.”

But, McCain said, he understood Paul’s appeal to Americans “weary of involvement” after the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"So I'm not particularly interested in getting between Senator Paul and Governor Perry, but I do believe that the things we're seeing in the world today, in greater turmoil than at any time in my lifetime, is a direct result of an absence of American leadership," McCain said. "And we are paying a very, very heavy price now, and we will in the future, until we decide to understand that America is an essential role in maintaining peace and stability throughout the world, and that does not mean sending combat troops everywhere."

Read more...http://thehill.com/policy/defense/212078-mccain-paul-a-member-of-fortress-america-wing-of-gop

Now, what is missing, between McCain's bouncing around like a rubber military ball, and Rand Paul's "isolationism" (it's not really isolationism) is a proper doctrine, based on a coherent world view.

We don't have one from the current administration, and we don't have a Republican one to turn to.

[Chef Ramsay]

McCain: Paul a part of ‘Fortress America’ wing

By Martin Matishak - 07/13/14 10:03 AM EDT

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Sunday waded into a brewing foreign policy debate inside the Republican Party, saying Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) represents a more isolationist outlook.

Paul is “part of a wing of the party that has been there prior to World War I, that is a withdrawal to ‘Fortress America,’” McCain said on CNN’s "State of the Union."

...

McCain, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with Paul, acknowledged the freshman senator has a “far different view than mine of the world.”

But, McCain said, he understood Paul’s appeal to Americans “weary of involvement” after the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"So I'm not particularly interested in getting between Senator Paul and Governor Perry, but I do believe that the things we're seeing in the world today, in greater turmoil than at any time in my lifetime, is a direct result of an absence of American leadership," McCain said. "And we are paying a very, very heavy price now, and we will in the future, until we decide to understand that America is an essential role in maintaining peace and stability throughout the world, and that does not mean sending combat troops everywhere."

Read more...http://thehill.com/policy/defense/212078-mccain-paul-a-member-of-fortress-america-wing-of-gop

Now, what is missing, between McCain's bouncing around like a rubber military ball, and Rand Paul's "isolationism" (it's not really isolationism) is a proper doctrine, based on a coherent world view.

We don't have one from the current administration, and we don't have a Republican one to turn to.

Because of the interests at stake here, there seems to be one monolithic foreign policy by design and it's constant intervention. Only Rand is seeing the big picture here and offering the American public a way to save money, regain some respect and take care of those that have been put on the chopping block in all of these past bad decisions to go to war. That's why the circus clowns are coming out to oppose his rising star and they're clearly fearful that the public is eating up his positioning. Think about it, where was Cheney all this time and now suddenly him and his daughter are trotted out there to aid the McCains of the neocon brand because people on both sides are souring over the country getting poorer and all these intrusions overseas.

[beetcoin]

McCain: Paul a part of ‘Fortress America’ wing

By Martin Matishak - 07/13/14 10:03 AM EDT

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Sunday waded into a brewing foreign policy debate inside the Republican Party, saying Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) represents a more isolationist outlook.

Paul is “part of a wing of the party that has been there prior to World War I, that is a withdrawal to ‘Fortress America,’” McCain said on CNN’s "State of the Union."

...

McCain, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with Paul, acknowledged the freshman senator has a “far different view than mine of the world.”

But, McCain said, he understood Paul’s appeal to Americans “weary of involvement” after the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"So I'm not particularly interested in getting between Senator Paul and Governor Perry, but I do believe that the things we're seeing in the world today, in greater turmoil than at any time in my lifetime, is a direct result of an absence of American leadership," McCain said. "And we are paying a very, very heavy price now, and we will in the future, until we decide to understand that America is an essential role in maintaining peace and stability throughout the world, and that does not mean sending combat troops everywhere."

Read more...http://thehill.com/policy/defense/212078-mccain-paul-a-member-of-fortress-america-wing-of-gop

Now, what is missing, between McCain's bouncing around like a rubber military ball, and Rand Paul's "isolationism" (it's not really isolationism) is a proper doctrine, based on a coherent world view.

We don't have one from the current administration, and we don't have a Republican one to turn to.

but there is a coherent world view (at least with obama) - be a slave to the corporations, infringe on privacy rights, spend/mettle overseas to gain resources, and then spend government money to help out contractors.

[Bit_Happy]

...
but there is a coherent world view (at least with obama) - be a slave to the corporations, infringe on privacy rights, spend/mettle overseas to gain resources, and then spend government money to help out contractors.

Is there a single thing on that list that W Bush didn't do? (and his dad too)
Obama has simply continued most of what was already in place. Hopefully someone like Rand Paul can bring real changes (even if he is a long-shot)

[beetcoin]

...
but there is a coherent world view (at least with obama) - be a slave to the corporations, infringe on privacy rights, spend/mettle overseas to gain resources, and then spend government money to help out contractors.

Is there a single thing on that list that W Bush didn't do? (and his dad too)
Obama has simply continued most of what was already in place. Hopefully someone like Rand Paul can bring real changes (even if he is a long-shot)

that is what i have been saying.. except obama didn't enter iraq on false pretenses (so that he and dick could help their friends). i consider that worse, especially after increasing spending and cutting taxes.

i know the righties here like to complain about the left and its spending, but republicans spend just as much as democrats.. just on different things. they want to put all the money into imperialism/military.

[Ron~Popeil]

...
but there is a coherent world view (at least with obama) - be a slave to the corporations, infringe on privacy rights, spend/mettle overseas to gain resources, and then spend government money to help out contractors.

Is there a single thing on that list that W Bush didn't do? (and his dad too)
Obama has simply continued most of what was already in place. Hopefully someone like Rand Paul can bring real changes (even if he is a long-shot)

You have to think a Paul presidency would be very good for crypto currencies as well. It is no secret that he is not a big fan of the fed or the crony capitalism. There is so much to like about a potential Paul administration.

[counter]

...
but there is a coherent world view (at least with obama) - be a slave to the corporations, infringe on privacy rights, spend/mettle overseas to gain resources, and then spend government money to help out contractors.

Is there a single thing on that list that W Bush didn't do? (and his dad too)
Obama has simply continued most of what was already in place. Hopefully someone like Rand Paul can bring real changes (even if he is a long-shot)

that is what i have been saying.. except obama didn't enter iraq on false pretenses (so that he and dick could help their friends). i consider that worse, especially after increasing spending and cutting taxes.

i know the righties here like to complain about the left and its spending, but republicans spend just as much as democrats.. just on different things. they want to put all the money into imperialism/military.

If you think about how false the two party system is then you can realize it is truly a waste of time bickering about petty differences.  Fact is they are both controlled by the same interests.  Their tactics may seem different but not if you look at the big picture.  It seems to be working but people are aware of this more then ever before.  I just hope things change for the better but I don't think it will be easy the public will need to really need to stay on top off the issues that really matter..   

[Chef Ramsay]

Rand Paul's Silicon Valley Charm Offensive

At last week's Sun Valley conference, Paul had one-on-one meetings with Thiel and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The former isn't surprising. (Thiel basically bankrolled the elder Paul's 2012 presidential campaign.) But Zuckerberg is an unlikely Paul ally. He's clearly not a down-the-line Democrat — he held a fund-raiser for Chris Christie, and his meandering political organization, FWD.us, has backed conservative politicians — and, when asked about his affiliation, he has refused to identify with either major party, saying only, "I'm pro-knowledge economy." But he hasn't come out as a tea-party conservative, or anything like one.

Sean Parker, another Facebook-affiliated billionaire and politically active tech investor, has also met privately with Paul. Parker is undergoing his own political rebirth, shifting from backing mostly progressive causes and politicians to writing checks to centrist conservatives as well. Last quarter, he gave more than half a million dollars to GOP groups and candidates, making the case that ideology trumps party affiliation when it comes to making progress on issues like immigration and campaign-finance reform.

It's friends like Parker and Zuckerberg who explain why Paul now routinely receives what Fortune called a "hero's welcome" when he comes to Silicon Valley. Next weekend, Paul will get to make his case yet again as the keynote speaker at Reboot, a San Francisco conference put on by a group called Lincoln Labs, which self-defines as "techies and politicos who believe in promoting liberty with technology." He'll likely say a version of what he's said before: that Silicon Valley's innovative potential can be best unlocked in an environment with minimal government intrusion in the forms of surveillance, corporate taxes, and regulation. “I see almost unlimited potential for us in Silicon Valley,” Paul has said, with "us" meaning libertarians.

More...http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/07/rand-pauls-silicon-valley-charm-offensive.html

[Bit_Happy]

Rand Paul's Silicon Valley Charm Offensive

At last week's Sun Valley conference, Paul had one-on-one meetings with Thiel and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The former isn't surprising. (Thiel basically bankrolled the elder Paul's 2012 presidential campaign.) But Zuckerberg is an unlikely Paul ally. He's clearly not a down-the-line Democrat — he held a fund-raiser for Chris Christie, and his meandering political organization, FWD.us, has backed conservative politicians — and, when asked about his affiliation, he has refused to identify with either major party, saying only, "I'm pro-knowledge economy." But he hasn't come out as a tea-party conservative, or anything like one.

Sean Parker, another Facebook-affiliated billionaire and politically active tech investor, has also met privately with Paul. Parker is undergoing his own political rebirth, shifting from backing mostly progressive causes and politicians to writing checks to centrist conservatives as well. Last quarter, he gave more than half a million dollars to GOP groups and candidates, making the case that ideology trumps party affiliation when it comes to making progress on issues like immigration and campaign-finance reform.

It's friends like Parker and Zuckerberg who explain why Paul now routinely receives what Fortune called a "hero's welcome" when he comes to Silicon Valley. Next weekend, Paul will get to make his case yet again as the keynote speaker at Reboot, a San Francisco conference put on by a group called Lincoln Labs, which self-defines as "techies and politicos who believe in promoting liberty with technology." He'll likely say a version of what he's said before: that Silicon Valley's innovative potential can be best unlocked in an environment with minimal government intrusion in the forms of surveillance, corporate taxes, and regulation. “I see almost unlimited potential for us in Silicon Valley,” Paul has said, with "us" meaning libertarians.

More...http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/07/rand-pauls-silicon-valley-charm-offensive.html

 
I knew a lot of tech people are libertarians, but I wasn't specifically aware that Rand was spending time there with his famous "friends".
Great write up...

[bryant.coleman]

Bad news for Rand Paul. Now Chris Christie is leading him in New Hampshire. (Poll by WMUR/UNH, and I don't know how reliable they are). Rand was leading earlier in NH.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/docs/2014/WMUR_NHGOP_2016_0710.pdf

[Bit_Happy]

Bad news for Rand Paul. Now Chris Christie is leading him in New Hampshire. (Poll by WMUR/UNH, and I don't know how reliable they are). Rand was leading earlier in NH.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/docs/2014/WMUR_NHGOP_2016_0710.pdf

Bad results are inaccurate polls and positive ones are good news. 

[Chef Ramsay]

Bad news for Rand Paul. Now Chris Christie is leading him in New Hampshire. (Poll by WMUR/UNH, and I don't know how reliable they are). Rand was leading earlier in NH.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/docs/2014/WMUR_NHGOP_2016_0710.pdf

I've seen this one and despite the sampling size, it's not surprising to see Christie at or near the top as this is always the case in New England w/ their neighbors Governors. Plus, Rand hasn't really been in NH anytime recently to keep his buzz factor up. However,

In 2016 move, Rand Paul's PAC hires Biundo, RightOn Strategies
MANCHESTER, N.H. —In one of the first significant moves ahead of the 2016 New Hampshire Primary, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul's political action committee has hired a local consulting firm, which includes the former national campaign manager for RIck Santorum's 2012 campaign.

Michael Biundo, of Manchester, the former Santorum manager, will serve as chief strategist for RandPac's New England operation.

"Mike will be a valuable asset to my team. His experience, passion and leadership will help me advance the principles of liberty," said Paul. "The Republican party needs to grow and Mike will be a vital part of that effort."


Along with Biundo other members of RightOn Strategies, including Derek Dufresne and Kory Wood are also involved in the effort.

For now the PACs stated goal is to simply help Republicans get elected in the midterm elections. New Hampshire has more competitive elections this fall than any other New England state.

While there was a flurry of visits from potential presidential candidates to New Hampshire in the spring it has slowed somewhat this summer. Among those also laying the groundwork here are New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and those associated with the Ready for Hillary campaign. Democratic Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley has also raised money for local Democrats.

But in terms of staff on the ground working for the 2016 effort only Texas Gov. Rick Perry and now Paul have put in that kind of investment on the ground in the first-in-the-nation primary state.

It's pretty much how Romney won NH by getting his candidates to win in state races which are pretty competitive but fairly easy to win as each state house district has only ~3k voters plus you have legions of active Free Staters on the ground.
More...http://www.wmur.com/political-scoop/in-2016-move-rand-pauls-pac-hires-biundo-righton-strategies/26841560#ixzz370OMN03T

[Chef Ramsay]

HBO Real Time host Bill Maher (notorious fakeass liberal) is recommending Democrats learn something from Republicans when it comes to the Middle East. Namely, how to take a position.

“[P]rops have to be handed out to the Republicans for actually having a healthy debate with two clear, unequivocal sides,” Maher wrote on his blog Wednesday. “Democrats don’t do that anymore.”

Maher framed his view using recent comments by both Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and former Republican vice president Dick Cheney.

Paul has gained a reputation for opposing the use of military force in foreign affairs that don’t directly involve the U.S. Cheney takes a more aggressive stance, advocating for the U.S. to maintain a strong presence in the Middle East.

“Even though [President Barack] Obama clearly sides more with Paul, he’s shy about articulating it as clearly,” Maher wrote. “Democrats instead try to play the game the way Republicans used to – arguing for peace and freedom but also pleasing the douchebag demographic by bragging about our strength and rattling our sabers and striking from the air. But while Democrats are out there proving that they’re not pussies, Republicans, for once, are the ones having a real dialogue.”

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/bill-maher-says-republicans-are-for-once-doing-this-better-than-democrats/

[counter]

Rand Paul's Silicon Valley Charm Offensive

At last week's Sun Valley conference, Paul had one-on-one meetings with Thiel and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The former isn't surprising. (Thiel basically bankrolled the elder Paul's 2012 presidential campaign.) But Zuckerberg is an unlikely Paul ally. He's clearly not a down-the-line Democrat — he held a fund-raiser for Chris Christie, and his meandering political organization, FWD.us, has backed conservative politicians — and, when asked about his affiliation, he has refused to identify with either major party, saying only, "I'm pro-knowledge economy." But he hasn't come out as a tea-party conservative, or anything like one.

Sean Parker, another Facebook-affiliated billionaire and politically active tech investor, has also met privately with Paul. Parker is undergoing his own political rebirth, shifting from backing mostly progressive causes and politicians to writing checks to centrist conservatives as well. Last quarter, he gave more than half a million dollars to GOP groups and candidates, making the case that ideology trumps party affiliation when it comes to making progress on issues like immigration and campaign-finance reform.

It's friends like Parker and Zuckerberg who explain why Paul now routinely receives what Fortune called a "hero's welcome" when he comes to Silicon Valley. Next weekend, Paul will get to make his case yet again as the keynote speaker at Reboot, a San Francisco conference put on by a group called Lincoln Labs, which self-defines as "techies and politicos who believe in promoting liberty with technology." He'll likely say a version of what he's said before: that Silicon Valley's innovative potential can be best unlocked in an environment with minimal government intrusion in the forms of surveillance, corporate taxes, and regulation. “I see almost unlimited potential for us in Silicon Valley,” Paul has said, with "us" meaning libertarians.

More...http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/07/rand-pauls-silicon-valley-charm-offensive.html

Wow nice find.  Would be nice to see America using technology to get back on track instead of controlling the public and it's refreshing to know real discussions are taking place by some of the mover/shakers.

[Bit_Happy]

Bad news for Rand Paul. Now Chris Christie is leading him in New Hampshire. (Poll by WMUR/UNH, and I don't know how reliable they are). Rand was leading earlier in NH.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/docs/2014/WMUR_NHGOP_2016_0710.pdf

I've seen this one and despite the sampling size, it's not surprising to see Christie at or near the top as this is always the case in New England w/ their neighbors Governors. Plus, Rand hasn't really been in NH anytime recently to keep his buzz factor up. However,

In 2016 move, Rand Paul's PAC hires Biundo, RightOn Strategies
MANCHESTER, N.H. —In one of the first significant moves ahead of the 2016 New Hampshire Primary, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul's political action committee has hired a local consulting firm, which includes the former national campaign manager for RIck Santorum's 2012 campaign.

Michael Biundo, of Manchester, the former Santorum manager, will serve as chief strategist for RandPac's New England operation.

"Mike will be a valuable asset to my team. His experience, passion and leadership will help me advance the principles of liberty," said Paul. "The Republican party needs to grow and Mike will be a vital part of that effort."


Along with Biundo other members of RightOn Strategies, including Derek Dufresne and Kory Wood are also involved in the effort.

For now the PACs stated goal is to simply help Republicans get elected in the midterm elections. New Hampshire has more competitive elections this fall than any other New England state.

While there was a flurry of visits from potential presidential candidates to New Hampshire in the spring it has slowed somewhat this summer. Among those also laying the groundwork here are New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and those associated with the Ready for Hillary campaign. Democratic Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley has also raised money for local Democrats.

But in terms of staff on the ground working for the 2016 effort only Texas Gov. Rick Perry and now Paul have put in that kind of investment on the ground in the first-in-the-nation primary state.

It's pretty much how Romney won NH by getting his candidates to win in state races which are pretty competitive but fairly easy to win as each state house district has only ~3k voters plus you have legions of active Free Staters on the ground.
More...http://www.wmur.com/political-scoop/in-2016-move-rand-pauls-pac-hires-biundo-righton-strategies/26841560#ixzz370OMN03T

This looks promising for Rand's chances, plus it's a potential boost for the Free State project, so it's a win/win.

[Cicero2.0]

Bad news for Rand Paul. Now Chris Christie is leading him in New Hampshire. (Poll by WMUR/UNH, and I don't know how reliable they are). Rand was leading earlier in NH.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/docs/2014/WMUR_NHGOP_2016_0710.pdf

I've seen this one and despite the sampling size, it's not surprising to see Christie at or near the top as this is always the case in New England w/ their neighbors Governors. Plus, Rand hasn't really been in NH anytime recently to keep his buzz factor up. However,

In 2016 move, Rand Paul's PAC hires Biundo, RightOn Strategies
MANCHESTER, N.H. —In one of the first significant moves ahead of the 2016 New Hampshire Primary, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul's political action committee has hired a local consulting firm, which includes the former national campaign manager for RIck Santorum's 2012 campaign.

Michael Biundo, of Manchester, the former Santorum manager, will serve as chief strategist for RandPac's New England operation.

"Mike will be a valuable asset to my team. His experience, passion and leadership will help me advance the principles of liberty," said Paul. "The Republican party needs to grow and Mike will be a vital part of that effort."


Along with Biundo other members of RightOn Strategies, including Derek Dufresne and Kory Wood are also involved in the effort.

For now the PACs stated goal is to simply help Republicans get elected in the midterm elections. New Hampshire has more competitive elections this fall than any other New England state.

While there was a flurry of visits from potential presidential candidates to New Hampshire in the spring it has slowed somewhat this summer. Among those also laying the groundwork here are New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and those associated with the Ready for Hillary campaign. Democratic Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley has also raised money for local Democrats.

But in terms of staff on the ground working for the 2016 effort only Texas Gov. Rick Perry and now Paul have put in that kind of investment on the ground in the first-in-the-nation primary state.

It's pretty much how Romney won NH by getting his candidates to win in state races which are pretty competitive but fairly easy to win as each state house district has only ~3k voters plus you have legions of active Free Staters on the ground.
More...http://www.wmur.com/political-scoop/in-2016-move-rand-pauls-pac-hires-biundo-righton-strategies/26841560#ixzz370OMN03T

This looks promising for Rand's chances, plus it's a potential boost for the Free State project, so it's a win/win.

I hope so. I have a bad feeling that the republican establishment will gang up to destroy his chances. We can't allow an honest guy to win the nomination.

[Chef Ramsay]

1st in the Nation Primary
NH Primary (NBC News/Marist): Paul 14, Christie 13, Bush 10, Cruz 9, Rubio/Ryan 7

Rand Paul is now back ahead of Christie in New Hampshire.

Paul: 14% (+1)
Christie: 13%
Bush: 10%
Cruz: 9%
Rubio: 7%
Ryan: 7%

Thanks Rick Perry and likely Dick Cheney.

http://newscms.nbcnews.com/sites/newscms/files/nbc_news_marist_poll_2016_new_hampshire_annotated_questionnaire_july_2014_0.pdf

Article that came w/ the poll numbers
NBC News: Rand Paul is your early GOP front-runner

Our fourth and final takeaway: Rand Paul is your early Republican front-runner. Yes, the NBC/Marist polls show a crowded and wide-open field in Iowa and Hampshire. And, yes, they even show Mr. Undecided leading in both (20% in Iowa, 22% in New Hampshire). But note that Paul has the highest favorable ratings in Iowa and New Hampshire. Note that he appears at the top of the early horserace fields in those two states (when you eliminate Mr. Undecided). Note he runs best against Clinton in both Iowa and New Hampshire. And note all of the other things he’s done in the past six months -- hire Rick Santorum’s former campaign manager, team with Cory Booker on legislation, and espouse a foreign policy that’s more popular with the public and even a plurality of Republicans. To borrow a NASCAR analogy, Paul has earned the pole position before the real race begins. Make no mistake: We’re unsure he can withstand half or more of his party trying to take him down (a la what happened to Howard Dean in late 2003). But he’s your early GOP front-runner.

More...http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/first-read/what-we-learned-about-christie-clinton-rand-paul-week-n158281

The long and short of it is that Rand runs best against Hillary and is the front-runner for the GOP nomination.

[Chef Ramsay]

Iowa (NBC News/Marist): Paul 45%, Clinton 45%

Paul is now tied with Clinton in Iowa, all other GOP candidates trail.

Paul: 45%
Clinton: 45%

Christie: 43%
Clinton: 44%

Bush: 42%
Clinton: 46%

Rubio: 40%
Clinton: 49%

Cruz: 37%
Clinton: 49%

More...http://newscms.nbcnews.com/sites/newscms/files/nbc_news_marist_poll_2016_iowa_annotated_questionnaire_july_2014_0.pdf
In the first in the nation caucus (republican party), Paul is tied w/ Bush @ 12% but it's the general election matchup numbers that will be the biggest feather in Paul's cap and will be undeniable to party donors.