Changes

On April 7, 2015, Paul announced that he would seek the Republican nomination in the [[2016 presidential election]].<ref>Rand Paul launches 2016 White House bid: ‘We have come to take our country back’ https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/04/07/rand-paul-set-to-announce-presidential-run/</ref><ref>https://www.c-span.org/video/?325139-1/senator-rand-paul-rky-presidential-campaign-announcement</ref> He dropped out shortly after the [[Iowa Caucus]].

On April 7, 2015, Paul announced that he would seek the Republican nomination in the [[2016 presidential election]].<ref>Rand Paul launches 2016 White House bid: ‘We have come to take our country back’ https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/04/07/rand-paul-set-to-announce-presidential-run/</ref><ref>https://www.c-span.org/video/?325139-1/senator-rand-paul-rky-presidential-campaign-announcement</ref> He dropped out shortly after the [[Iowa Caucus]].

== Political Positions and Views==

== Political positions/views==

[[File:Rand Paul 2013 CPAC by Gage Skidmore.jpg|thumb|250px|Paul at CPAC in 2013.]]

[[File:Rand Paul 2013 CPAC by Gage Skidmore.jpg|thumb|250px|Paul at CPAC in 2013.]]

Unlike many politicians of both major political parties, Rand Paul supports sharply reducing the size of government.  Notably in 2018 he single-handedly shutdown the entire Federal government (for a few hours, at least) while he spoke against the hypocrisy of his own party in desiring to pass a 700-page bill that nobody had read and that would create the same deficit spending that his party opposed during the Obama administration.<ref>https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/373069-rand-paul-blockade-pushing-senate-to-late-night-budget-vote</ref>

Unlike many politicians of both major political parties, Rand Paul supports sharply reducing the size of government.  Notably in 2018 he single-handedly shutdown the entire Federal government (for a few hours, at least) while he spoke against the hypocrisy of his own party in desiring to pass a 700-page bill that nobody had read and that would create the same deficit spending that his party opposed during the Obama administration.<ref>https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/373069-rand-paul-blockade-pushing-senate-to-late-night-budget-vote</ref>

Paul has abandoned his party line to join [[Democrats]] and [[RINO]]s in ordering [[President Trump]] to remove hostilities against [[Iran]].<ref>[https://votesmart.org/bill/27615/71054/117285/a-joint-resolution-to-direct-the-removal-of-united-states-armed-forces-from-hostilities-against-the-islamic-republic-of-iran-that-have-not-been-authorized-by-congress#71054 S J Res 68 - A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress - National Key Vote]</ref>

Paul has abandoned his party line to join [[Democrats]] and [[RINO]]s in ordering [[President Trump]] to remove hostilities against [[Iran]].<ref>[https://votesmart.org/bill/27615/71054/117285/a-joint-resolution-to-direct-the-removal-of-united-states-armed-forces-from-hostilities-against-the-islamic-republic-of-iran-that-have-not-been-authorized-by-congress#71054 S J Res 68 - A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress - National Key Vote]</ref>

=== Illegal Immigration ===

=== Illegal immigration ===

Paul supported the Pathway to introduce [[illegal aliens]] to citizenship.<ref>http://nation.foxnews.com/rand-paul/2013/03/19/rand-paul-endorses-pathway-citizenship</ref>

Paul supported the Pathway to introduce [[illegal aliens]] to citizenship.<ref>http://nation.foxnews.com/rand-paul/2013/03/19/rand-paul-endorses-pathway-citizenship</ref>

==See also==

==See also==