THE BURNED OVER DISTRICT

And will anybody actually buy the resulting swill, beyond the hillbillies of Kentucky? Rand is certainly putting in the necessary effort to mix his peurile selfish libertarianism with the ordinary unpleasantness of the GOP agenda.

With top billing on the opening night of the Liberty Political Action Conference, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky told the audience at a Marriott in Virginia that a viable Republican Party must reach out to young people and minorities.

But not long after the applause died down, Mr. Paul was out the door. He skipped an address by his father, former Representative Ron Paul, as well as closing remarks by his own former Senate aide, an ex-radio host who had once celebrated Abraham Lincoln’s assassination and extolled white pride.

The senator was off to an exclusive resort on Mackinac Island, Mich., where he again talked about the future of the party. But this time he was in the company of Karl Rove and other power brokers, and his audience was of Republican stalwarts who were sizing up possible presidential candidates.
Launch media viewer
LIKE FATHER, LIKE ... Senator Rand Paul has been his father’s apprentice, aide, surrogate and, finally, libertarian successor. Portraits of the two hang in the senator’s conference room. Stephen Crowley/The New York Times

As Rand Paul test-markets a presidential candidacy and tries to broaden his appeal, he is also trying to take libertarianism, an ideology long on the fringes of American politics, into the mainstream. Midway through his freshman term, he has become a prominent voice in Washington’s biggest debates — on government surveillance, spending and Middle East policy.

In the months since he commanded national attention and bipartisan praise for his 13-hour filibuster against the Obama administration’s drone strike program, Mr. Paul has impressed Republican leaders with his staying power, in part because of the stumbles of potential rivals and despite some of his own.

“Senator Paul is a credible national candidate,” said Mitt Romney,

There is a worthwhile endorsement if ever I saw one. Rand will persevere and if the media and the country don't shine a spotlight on his antics, we will have to put up with him for a long time.