Ron Paul pulls out the big guns in Iowa

According to a CNN report, Texas Congressman Ron Paul is pulling out his secret weapon to campaign in Iowa: Kentucky Senator Rand Paul.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky will head to the first-in-the-nation caucus state of Iowa later this month to campaign for his father’s bid for the White House.

The younger Paul’s Iowa swing will come just before the Ames, Iowa, straw poll. GOP Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who’s making his third run for the presidency, is putting a lot of money and effort into doing well in the crucial straw poll.

This is the first time Rand Paul will campaign for his father since Ron Paul formally announced his run for president May 13. But the senator did stump for his father during swings through Iowa and New Hampshire, the first in the nation primary state, earlier this year before the elder Paul announced his candidacy.

Ron Paul headed to Kentucky twice last year to campaign for his son’s bid to win the open Senate seat.

The Paul presidential campaign told CNN the two men will not appear together during Rand Paul’s events in Iowa. The elder Paul is holding campaign events in Marshalltown and Cedar Falls, Iowa Wednesday.

“Rand Paul’s message strikes a strong chord with the Tea Party here in Iowa,” said Drew Ivers, Ron Paul’s Iowa chairman, in a statement. “His message of stopping out of control federal spending is exactly what the Republican party needs at this time.”

Earlier this year, Rand Paul considered a White House run of his own if his father passed on making a bid.

While the Elder Paul has been spreading a libertarian message in Congress for years, the Younger Paul is much more equipped to communicate that message.

Senator Paul grew up in a political household and founded a taxpayer advocacy group, which he still chairs, in Kentucky. While many of the Congressman’s beliefs may be attractive to the American people, I often find his explanations of these issues to be hard to follow and policy heavy. The newly-elected Senator has a much more folksy, easy-to-follow message.

Rand will be making stops in ten or so cities.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Congressman Paul is much more serious about Iowa this year than he was in 2007/2008. He’s purchased prime real estate at the Ames Straw Poll, shelling out $31,000 for the best piece of real estate available.

And while I ultimately don’t think Ron Paul will win the Republican nomination, I do think Rand’s willingness to stump for his father open’s the door to a potential Presidential bid in the future. Perhaps 2016 or 2020? Sure, Rand may be the Mr. Smith of our time — a guy who sort of stumbled into the U.S. Senate — but he’s got real promise.

On the campaign trail, the Younger Paul touted his belief in term limits. If Senator Paul continues with this belief, he may have to run for President to remain in office (not that his goal is to remain in office).

The on-the-ground experience in Iowa this year will give Senator Paul an intimate view of how to run a Presidential campaign in the first-in-the-nation caucus state. While he won’t be touring with his father, it’s almost certain he’ll know the strategy and provide input.

Could Rand Paul be Ron’s secret weapon in Iowa? Who knows… but having him on the campaign trail certainly doesn’t hurt.