Republican Rand Paul Suspends 2016 White House Campaign

[Hissyspit]

Last edited Wed Feb 3, 2016, 11:02 AM - Edit history (1)

Source: Reuters

Feb 3, 2016 | 9:35 AM EST
Republican Rand Paul suspends 2016 White House campaign

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Senator Rand Paul waits to be introduced at a campaign stop at the National Sprint Car Hall of
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Republican Rand Paul suspended his 2016 presidential bid on Wednesday after his small-government campaign failed to gain traction with voters.

The U.S. senator from Kentucky was the second Republican candidate, behind former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, to drop out of the race since Monday's night's Iowa caucuses. That contest launched the parties' process to nominate candidates for the November election.

"It's been an incredible honor to run a principled campaign for the White House. Today, I will end where I began, ready and willing to fight for the cause of Liberty," Paul said in a statement.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0VC1ND

[onehandle]

1. Alas, poor Aqua Buddha, I knew him well. nt

[enid602]

2. the Pauls

I never really understood how he could run for president while his father is shilling doomsday scenarios of eminent economic apocalypse on the internet. Seems a bit tacky. Guess the family was trying to cash in no matter which way things go.

[Renew Deal]

3. Ron Paul ran in 2012 so he could hand it off

The Pauls should take a break.

[brooklynite]

4. Damn! I'm up in NH this weekend, and my entertainment options are dwindling

I'm surprised anyone would drop out before Tuesday.

[Flying Phoenix]

5. Glad to hear it.

He wasn't going anywhere anyway.

[JudyM]

6. Great! Bernie will get some of his supporters.

I nearly had one of his Iowa supporters convinced to switch his support to Bernie while phone banking Monday. He ended up leaning toward "letting the country know where Iowa stands" rather than going for his second choice, which was Bernie.

[thesquanderer]

10. I can see that. This should help Sanders.

Sanders and Paul are in sync on numerous issues... trade policy (TPP/NAFTA), civil liberties (PATRIOT act), being more cautious than the other candidates about military action... they even overlap some in drug and incarceration issues.

He got 4.5% of the vote in Iowa, where voters can register (or switch parties) even on the day of the caucus. If he were not in the race and some of his voters went to Sanders, we might be seeing some different headlines.

There are lots of open or semi-open primaries/caucuses to come, this could give Bernie a little boost. To the extent that the issues I mentioned matter to someone, there's really no other Republican candidate they can go to, nor can they really go to Hillary.

[restorefreedom]

17. good point, judym!

i was actually a little bummed when i first read this, since paul imo in some ways is one of the more reasonable voices on that side.

but yes, his supporters are pretty unconventional and many feel disenfranchised. they might feel very welcome in bernieland.

[Blue_Tires]

38. You don't know the typical Paulite, do you?

[JudyM]

39. Dont I? Take a look.

Here are just a couple of pieces on it. There are obviously differences between the two, but there are enough similarities to make Sanders' candidacy appealing.

"Young people, especially young men, anti-establishment voters, first-time voters, isolationists and libertarians made up the base of Ron Paul’s coalition in 2012. In 2016, many of those same votes are with Sanders."
http://iowastartingline.com/2016/01/14/how-bernie-sanders-helped-kill-rand-pauls-campaign/

...

"Although there are wide differences between the two on a number of issues — the size and role of government being chief among then — there is also much they share in common besides an appeal to disaffected voters. Both are suspicious of foreign entanglements; both opposed giving President Barack Obama fast-track authority to negotiate trade deals. Both have made the monied elites the chief target of their campaign rhetoric. "...

“He’s probably the most honest person on the Democratic side,” he said. “I don’t like a lot of what he says, but he’s a civil liberties type—even if his overall goal is to increase the amount of socialism in this country. We’re already one of the most socialist countries in the world, so I don’t like that, but the other Democrats don’t even admit it."...

Sanders has given them another choice. It hardly matters that Paul's calling for a flatter tax code and smaller government, while Sanders is calling for Medicare-for-all and expanded Social Security. On the issues most likely to attract alienated voters—on foreign policy, on whether Washington's current masters have forfeited public trust—there is just enough overlap."

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-06-08/meet-the-voters-who-can-t-decide-between-rand-paul-or-bernie-sanders

[Blue_Tires]

40. And what happens when they learn to read

and discover Sanders' stance on drones? Or the fact that he isn't going to abolish abortion, ACA, the IRS or NSA?

What about the fact that most Paulites are registered republicans and wouldn't be able to vote in their state primary to begin with? I'm just saying that's some fickle, shaky-ass ground to be building on, my dear...

[JudyM]

41. Easy.They'll choose the candidate that best aligns with their values, since there's no perfect fit.

[Blue_Tires]

42. As we all will...

[TwilightGardener]

7. Aw, L'il Curly. He hung in there longer than I thought.

[yellowcanine]

19. "L'il Curly"

[Robbins]

8. Another one bites the dust

I wonder if he was pressurred to get out to try to help Rubio against trump and cruz.Establishment wants rubio.

[EL34x4]

15. Seems to me, Ted Cruz would stand to benefit the most

From Rand Paul dropping out. Cruz's "evolution" on state marijuana laws has made him palatable to libertarians.

[thesquanderer]

34. I think Sanders might benefit the most. See post #10. (n/t)

[wolfie001]

9. Gawd I'm sick of this talking hair-weave!!!

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

11. Time for Christie, Jeb, and Fiorina to follow suit. nt

[Feeling the Bern]

12. He was still running?

[thesquanderer]

26. Actually, he beat expectations

coming in 5th, pretty well ahead of Jeb!, Kasich, Fiorina...

[rurallib]

13. And America says "Who?"

[rpannier]

14. Stephen is going to be busy this week

Here's hoping carson goes with Paul and Huckabee

[DarthDem]

16. He Probably Did So Because . . .

. . . he is now facing a real challenger for his Senate seat. You know, the one he shouldn't even be allowed to run for except he got the lege in Kentucky to change the rules.

[yellowcanine]

18. What infraction did his campaign commit to get suspended?

This "suspending" of campaigns is getting out of hand. Either you are still running for President or you are not. Your wife or your kid or you get sick - okay, suspend the campaign until the health issue is resolved. But if the suspension really means you are done - than say that.

[thesquanderer]

22. I believe there are legal/financial considerations in choosing the word. (nt)

[yellowcanine]

31. That makes some sense - use of campaign funds maybe.

But I still think it is weird.

[Maeve]

20. About time! eom

[KentuckyWoman]

21. What's really pitiful is that Rand is one of the saner offerings

the fact Republican voters have pushed the 2 biggest freaks to the top says a lot about the base.

Talibornagains and Corporate Moochers is about all that's left.

[malthaussen]

23. Don't let the door hit you,Aqua Buddah.

They're dropping like flies now, which is appropriate, since they were circling dead meat.

-- Mal

[Nyan]

24. Too bad.

He was the least crazy one...on some issues...but then, not really...

[Reter]

25. He's going to endorse Ted Cruz

I'd bet on it.

[oberliner]

27. No way

Mitch McConnell is one of Rand's chief endorses and he loathes Ted.

[LittleGirl]

28. I don't know

he at least tried to be reasonable. I wished Carly and Christy and Jeb! would suspend instead.

[Renew Deal]

30. Next week

With Santorum too

[LittleGirl]

32. good grief

is he still running? bwahaaahaaaa

[Renew Deal]

33. They are down to 9 plus Gilmore.

[rurallib]

29. Randy, we hardly knew ye

and that's the way we like it

[FSogol]

35. Huzzah! Our long national nightmare is over!

6 down, 12 to go?

[FSogol]

36. Will the muskrat that lives on his head get some time off now?

[The Wizard]

37. One of the few Republicans

who isn't eating lead paint chips.

[LongTomH]

43. And Another One Bites the Dust!!!!

Dayam!!!! I'm gonna be overworking this meme and this video before the primaries are over!