Top Republicans: Rand Paul Should Drop Out And Focus On Saving His Senate Seat

Earlier this year Rand Paul pushed through a Kentucky rule change that allows him to simultaneously run for the presidency and for the Senate. With his White House bid in the polling cellar, top GOP officials are now openly saying that it’s time for Paul to drop his presidential campaign and focus on saving his Senate seat. Via Talking Points Memo:

“He could lose both positions,” said Patricia Vincent, chairwoman of the Graves County Republican Party. “He just needs to work a little bit more to make sure he still has a seat in the Senate.” While Paul’s national numbers hover in the low single digits, he continues to divert resources from his Senate campaign to his presidential bid. “I can’t see what he’s holding out for,” said Casey County Republican Party Chairman William Wethingon. “If I were in his position, I think, looking at the numbers, I think I would focus more on my Senate seat.”

National Republicans agree. The GOP is deeply concerned about retaining its eight-seat Senate majority. Forced to defend 24 incumbents — seven of them in states President Barack Obama won in 2012 — the party cannot afford to spend money on what should be an easy Kentucky victory next fall. Some fear that his focus on the presidential contest leaves him more vulnerable than he realizes. Even Matt Bevin, Kentucky’s Republican nominee for governor, said he would vote for retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson over Paul.

Paul finally got back into the headlines this week when he declared that gay people should stay in the closet if they don’t want to be fired from their jobs.