Washington Post political columnist Chris Cillizza has written an interesting column saying that the Republican Party must choose between two different paths, as represented by two likely presidential candidates: the moderate pragmatism of New Jersey governor Chris Christie; or the purist small-government principles of Kentucky senator Rand Paul.
Mr. Cillizza casts the Rand option in terms of being more conservative. In doing so, I think he completely misses what Rand Paul represents. He is a libertarian, appealing strongly to young people and the politically-disaffected. But he is also pro-life. He is also the peace candidate, stealing that issue from the left.
Someone who can attract the internet crowd and pro-lifers and free market business types and evangelicals and peaceniks and the Tea Party and the Occupy Wall Streeters has the makings of a paradigm-breaking and very formidable candidate.
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