Republican Party leaders in Kentucky are sounding optimistic about Rand Paul’s odds in the GOP presidential primary – even though questions remain about how the candidate will appear on ballots in the Commonwealth.
Current state statutes block candidates from appearing on the ballot twice. And with Democrats controlling both the House and the Governor’s Mansion in Kentucky, Republican legislation changing the language to allow Paul to run for president and Senate had little chance of becoming law during the 2015 session.
That avenue blocked, party leaders then began considering moving from a primary to an earlier caucus. Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer told cn|2 Pure Politics the change would have a number of benefits.
"Many of us have been concerned in the last several cycles about the fact that Kentucky doesn't really play a major role in the nominating of our candidates for president. I think Rand will not provide an impetus to change that," Thayer said. "All the other primaries will still take place in late May as they currently do, but I think the RPK [Republican Party of Kentucky] is moving toward an inclusive Republican caucus sometime in early to mid-March of next year."
While the shift could solve Paul’s problem in the primary, whether he could run for both offices in the general election is an open question.
