By Scott Wartman, nky.com
ALEXANDRIA–U.S. Sen. Rand Paul looked out at the 200 people assembled in a gymnasium in Alexandria and said the tea party might play just as big of a role this election as it did two years ago.
“I think you are being effective,” Paul said. “The question I got nationally about the tea party is, they say it is not active like it was in 2010. Well I think that is still yet to be determined for 2012. This is a big crowd for the middle of the day to have out here. It is hard because we don’t have a nominee on the Republican side yet, so it is hard for the tea party to coalesce.”
Paul, R-Bowling Green, on Friday spoke to tea party supporters in Alexandria and business leaders in Covington. While in town, he downplayed recent talk of him being a vice presidential candidate on Mitt Romney’s ticket. No one has asked him, Paul said, but he’s flattered people would consider him. Paul, however, has not given up hope his father, Ron Paul, will pick up enough delegates.
“I’m still supporting that guy from Texas, Ron Paul. He’s my no. 1 pick” Paul said. “Really, I think it has been undereported his number of delegates. We still may win \Iowa, Maine, Minnesota and Colorado, because delegates haven’t been counted yet. When I said the other day I would be honored, I mean it in the sense that if you were nominated for an Academy Award, you would be honored to be nominated.”
At the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s Government Forum in Covington, Paul spoke about how to fund the Brent Spence Bridge. Paul has advocated moving money from other areas, such as foreign aid and smaller transportation enhancements. Paul said he wanted to eliminate $ 2 billion of $ 30 billion in foreign aid but was voted down. Paul decried the aid spent on Egypt and Afghanistan.
To read more, visit: http://cincinnati.com/blogs/nkypolitics/2012/02/24/rand-paul-says-tea-party-and-father-still-a-factor/