Tagged: rand paul

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is asking Louisville’s African-American community to consider his vote.

Paul spoke to students and faculty members at Simmons College of Kentucky on Friday.

This follows his appearance this week at Howard University in Washington D.C. where Paul tried connecting black history to the Republican Party.

A group seeking full voting representation for Washington, D.C. residents in Congress is holding a demonstration ahead of Republican Senator Rand Paul's speech at Howard University, calling the Tea Party favorite a hypocrite.

The address is being promoted as an attempt by Kentucky's junior senator—and presidential hopeful—to reach out to African-American voters. A handful of black leaders in Louisville have said that's a good sign given Paul's rising prominence in national politics.

But DC Vote is once again calling out Paul's libertarian and small-government message, comparing it to his obstruction of the D.C. Budget Autonomy Act last year.

In 2012, the mayor of D.C. and others urged lawmakers to approve the measure to give local residents the authority to spend tax dollars without Congressional oversight. Paul introduced several amendments to the bill, however, which sought to change the city’s gun, abortion and labor laws.

From DC Vote:

Think about that for a moment: Rand Paul, of all people, used a DC budget autonomy bill that would allow D.C. to spend money it raises from its own population so he can impose his causes on people that have no vote in Congress.

Republican Senator Rand Paul will speak at one of the country’s oldest historically black colleges as he seeks to reach out to African-American voters, and some Louisville leaders say that's a good sign.

Paul is scheduled to address students at Howard University in Washington, D.C. next Wednesday where Kentucky's junior senator is expected to talk about school choice and changing federal mandatory minimum sentencing laws.

The senator’s remarks will also focus on how the GOP and black history intertwine, and marks another sign Paul is earnest in his attempts to seek out minorities ahead of his potential presidential bid.

"It's important that the Republican Party to talk to everybody," says Paul spokesman Dan Bayens. "And I'm not sure that we've been doing that, especially recently. No matter who the group is let's go and have a conversation with them."

Paul is becoming a force in the GOP that has rocked the establishment of both parties in an unexpected way. National polls show Paul is at the top rumored 2016 Republican presidential candidates, coming in at either second in the still too early to predict GOP primary field. 

Two national polls released this week show Kentucky Senator Rand Paul neck and neck with many other potential 2016 Republican presidential candidates.

Both Quinnipiac and Public Policy Polling released surveys Wednesday showing Paul in second or third place in the early GOP primary field. 

Paul clocks in at 15 percent in the Quinnipiac poll, behind former vice presidential nominee and Congressman Paul Ryan at 17 percent, and fellow Republican Senator Marco Rubio at 19 percent.  

The PPP survey has Paul making a bigger leap since their previous presidential poll. Paul has 17 percent of primary voters in the PPP poll, with Rubio at 21 percent.