2012 Presidential race

We already knew Rand Paul was making the rounds in Iowa and New Hampshire. Now we can report that he will complete the 2012 trifecta:

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) will be a surprise guest at a private political meeting in Charleston, S.C. on Monday – fueling speculation that the son of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul may take his father’s place in the 2012 GOP presidential primary.

The younger Paul will be in the South Carolina Lowcountry next week to address the “Charleston Meeting,” a Republican gathering organized last year by GOP activist and fundraiser Mallory Factor. Our founding editor Will Folks attended the January meeting of this organization as an invited guest.

Michael Smith – a co-founder of the “Charleston Meeting” – declined to confirm or deny Paul’s visit (citing the organization’s confidentiality policy) but we have heard from multiple sources that the 48-year-old freshman U.S. Senator will be addressing the group. Paul will also reportedly attend a reception in Charleston, S.C. with U.S. Rep. Mick Mulvaney, who sources say is also scheduled to speak Monday evening at the “Charleston Meeting.”

Should Ron Paul decline to seek the presidency in 2012, his son has indicated that he would consider mounting a bid.

Don’t worry, Jeebus does not love us that much. He ain’t running. But Liberty Christ knows how drum up publicity to sell books, I’ll give him that.

Do the math:

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) will make a trip to New Hampshire, along with his father, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), this spring.

Rand Paul will head to the Granite State in late April following a trip to Iowa earlier that month, raising reporters’ eyebrows because of both states’ status in the presidential nominating cycle.

The Kentucky senator will keynote a Cheshire County Lincoln-Reagan Day Dinner, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader’s John DiStasio. He’ll deliver the speech several days before his father travels to New Hampshire for a series of fundraisers.

Rand Paul is also slated to headline the Iowa Republican Party’s “Night of Rising Stars” on April 2, meaning the freshman senator will be making two trips to two key primary states within a month.

Oh, when I say “do the math”, what I mean is that this is the perfectly branded craft of Republicans floating their name out as potential candidates, not because they’re actually considering, but they want to raise lots of money and sell lots of book. Rand will need plenty of math to count those Benjamins. Wise man.

GOP presidential hopefuls are busy criss-crossing this country (and Israel and India), positioning themselves and testing the waters. Rand Paul’s getting in on the act:

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) will be the keynote speaker at the Republican Party of Iowa’s annual “Night of the Rising Stars” fundraiser April 2 at Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines.
….
“Sen. Paul represents the new energy of Republicans in Washington,” said Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn. “His dedication to the cause of limited government not only resonated with the voters of Kentucky but catapulted him on to the national stage. Iowa Republicans will be interested to hear his solutions to seriously address the national debt and stop the growth of government.”

It should be noted of course that Rand has repeatedly avoided questions of whether or not he’s running in 2012 — telling B&P it was “too early” — so this could be part of his further exploration or, probably more likely, a shrewd move on his part to meet the Iowans and forge a future in which he can win the White House in, say, 2016, then realize it’s paid for with public funds and fails to serve the people’s needs and implode it.