Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell: Odd-couple allies

[cajuncocoa]

Both men clearly believe they have something to gain from the partnership. | AP Photo
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By MANU RAJU | 9/13/12 7:10 PM EDT

The two men couldn’t be more different on paper: One is a five-term septuagenarian, career politician and the embodiment of the Republican establishment; the other a 49-year-old tea party firebrand who never before held elected office and the de facto leader of the libertarian movement.

But behind the scenes, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and freshman Sen. Rand Paul are charting anything but divergent paths. They are methodically forming a tight-knit alliance to bridge the divide between the sparring factions of their party, an effort that could boost their own political careers in the process.

Sensing a tea party uprising back home after Paul defeated McConnell’s hand-picked candidate in the 2010 Senate primary, the calculating Republican leader focused on bringing Paul and his supporters under his wing. Two years later, it’s paying off: The two men barnstorm the state together in both official and political events; throw high-dollar fundraisers for one another; and are trying to merge the GOP’s tea party wing with the party’s establishment, social conservative and business wings — heading off an intraparty war that has uprooted Republican politics in many parts of the country.

The latest example came Thursday, when McConnell announced he had hired Jesse Benton — a top aide to both Paul’s Senate campaign in 2010 and Rep. Ron Paul’s presidential campaign this year — to lead what could be the toughest reelection campaign of the Republican leader’s career in 2014.

The year-long search that ended with Benton’s hiring was a major signal to Republicans that McConnell views support from the younger libertarian and tea party movements as crucial not only to his political future, but also to his party’s prospects nationally.

“The last thing we want are tea party folks to feel like they’re not welcome in the Republican Party and then they’d have to form a third party that would hurt both of us,” Sen. John Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said when asked about the alliance between Paul and McConnell. “I think it’s been a positive development.”

Still, the move isn’t risk-free. The tea party remains unpopular nationally, and Democrats have a voter registration advantage in Kentucky — meaning any shift to the right could hurt McConnell in what will likely be a furious Democratic challenge in 2014. Paul, meanwhile, risks alienating some supporters who worry the establishment will co-opt the purist movement.
Still, both men clearly believe they have something to gain.

McConnell lends establishment credibility to Paul, who’s seen by some Republicans as the leader of a fringe movement that gave his father Ron Paul the perch to call for a radically smaller government and isolationist policies abroad. Their alliance could help the younger Paul forge a broader coalition of supporters — something he began to do in an address to the GOP convention — as he decides whether to make a run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 or 2020, or survive a Senate reelection bid in five years.

For McConnell, the Paul relationship could help him gain clout with the tea party movement, which has a mixed track record defeating entrenched members of Congress. McConnell angered tea party types two years ago when he backed Paul’s GOP primary opponent, Trey Grayson.

“In 2010, the establishment Republicans for the most part supported Paul, despite misgivings. That helped him to win,” Grayson said. “One of the keys for McConnell is to keep the tea party behind him in 2014.”

In interviews Thursday, neither Paul nor McConnell would talk much about their relationship.

Paul called it “very good.”

“We’re excited about it,” Paul said of the Benton hire. “I think Jesse will do a great job for him.”

When asked about his relationship with Paul, McConnell would only say: “Well, we’ve established a very good working relationship.”
It didn’t happen overnight.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/81194.html#ixzz26RgvUQ4h

 

[CaptLouAlbano]

Interesting for those considering putting up a primary challenger to McConnell. It looks like they will be going up against Rand in many respects if they do so, since I doubt highly that Rand would endorse a challenger over McConnell.

 

[acptulsa]

“The last thing we want are tea party folks to feel like they’re not welcome in the Republican Party and then they’d have to form a third party that would hurt both of us,” Sen. John Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said when asked about the alliance between Paul and McConnell. “I think it’s been a positive development.”


So why the hell didn't he send this memo to the Republican National Convention? Now the 'positive development' has been set back a decade.

 

[georgiaboy]

I choose to be cautiously optimistic about this development.

 

[BamaFanNKy]

Interesting for those considering putting up a primary challenger to McConnell. It looks like they will be going up against Rand in many respects if they do so, since I doubt highly that Rand would endorse a challenger over McConnell.

Seriously guys, there is not a sane option to primary Mitch. People have mentioned Thomas Massie. I LOVE THOMAS and would want him to be Senator but he's in a bad financial and networking situation going against Mitch (Most are so this is not a slam). Secondly, he'll have a nice spot in the House. We as the Liberty Movement in Kentucky will have a shot in 2015 for a US House seat in Rand's home district since it looks like Brett Guthrie is running for Governor. Also, it's a better shot at unseating Hal Rogers in the 5th than Mitch McConnell. I think Mitch has this, even the dems can't find someone to beat him.

I'd rather have 1 Senator and 3 congressman.

 

[Carlybee]

Well guess I may be off this forum because I will not support Rand if he supports McConnell. The man who voted to extend the Patriot Act, wiretapping of citizens, etc. No way, no how.

If you don't stand for something, you don't stand for anything.

 

[BamaFanNKy]

Well guess I may be off this forum because I will not support Rand if he supports McConnell. The man who voted to extend the Patriot Act, wiretapping of citizens, etc. No way, no how.

But you supported Ron after backing Bachmann and others?

 

[Voluntary Man]

if McConnell wins, the liberty movement loses. choose sides, now: move forward, and take down McConnell, or return to the back of the bus, and sit down and shut up.

 

[Voluntary Man]

you want Rand to be the senior senator from Ky, and a serious candidate in 2016? that's how it's played: take Mitch out!

 

[LibertyEagle]

I choose to be cautiously optimistic about this development.

Me too. It makes me a bit uncomfortable, but I will remain, watching his votes.

 

[specsaregood]

you want Rand to be the senior senator from Ky, and a serious candidate in 2016? that's how it's played: take Mitch out!

On the otherhand, if Rand wants to be a serious presidential candidate, working with Mitch is how its played.

 

[Carlybee]

But you supported Ron after backing Bachmann and others?

Ron also went on national TV and said Bachmann hates Muslims..in effect denouncing her craziness. There are a few things I forgive Ron because I know there are big things he wouldn't compromise on. I feel Rand is more ambiguous.
Anyway I just realized this is Rand's forum so I will bow out of this conversation while I can.

 

[BamaFanNKy]

Ron also went on national TV and said Bachmann hates Muslims..in effect denouncing her craziness. There are a few things I forgive Ron because I know there are big things he wouldn't compromise on. I feel Rand is more ambiguous.

Your feelings and facts are far from each other.

Rand went to the floor of the Senate and obliterated Mitch's hero.

 

[Carlybee]

Your feelings and facts are far from each other.

Rand went to the floor of the Senate and obliterated Mitch's hero.

Yet now he is allied with him, seemingly.

 

[BamaFanNKy]

Yet now he is allied with him, seemingly.

The point is.... sometimes you have to work with people you disagree with. More so when you need their people to get yours elected.

 

[Voluntary Man]

On the otherhand, if Rand wants to be a serious presidential candidate, working with Mitch is how its played.

on the other hand, if Rand makes himself virtually indistinguishable from Mitch, what's the point?

if you want to be absorbed, assimilated, play it your way. if you want power, you have to demonstrate it. take Mitch down!

 

[BamaFanNKy]

on the other hand, if Rand makes himself virtually indistinguishable from Mitch, what's the point?

if you want to be absorbed, assimilated, play it your way. if you want power, you have to demonstrate it. take Mitch down!

There is a difference in taking power tactically and doing a suicide mission.

 

[specsaregood]

on the other hand, if Rand makes himself virtually indistinguishable from Mitch, what's the point?

if you want to be absorbed, assimilated, play it your way. if you want power, you have to demonstrate it. take Mitch down!

If you think he is becoming indistinguishable from mitch, then you aren't paying attention. One does not have to become another person in order to work with them.

 

[CaptLouAlbano]

if you want to be absorbed, assimilated, play it your way. if you want power, you have to demonstrate it. take Mitch down!

With who? I don't know KY politics all that well, so who has the ability to raise $15 million, has statewide name recognition, can secure the support and/or endorsements from a good portion of the thousands of precinct committeemen and women in KY, and has an existing base within the state that can be used to present a viable challenge?

 

[BamaFanNKy]

Mitch has 6 Million on hand in 2012 for a 2014 race.