Sen. Rand Paul said Sunday he will not decide whether to run for president until after the mid-term elections, noting he still has to poll his family before he builds on straw poll victories and launches an earnest bid.
In a wide-ranging interview with ABC’s Jonathan Karl, the Kentucky Republican said the GOP needs to “evolve, change and grow” if it wants to win again, and that he wants to be a part of that.
He also deflected his positive polling with modesty.
“I guess it’s better than not being noticed,” Mr. Paul said.
On immigration, he said former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who some GOP moderates want to recruit for a presidential bid, could have been “more artful” when he recently said illegal immigrants come to America in an “act of love.”
Mr. Paul said illegal immigrants are “not bad people,” but quickly highlighted a caveat.
“We can’t invite the whole world,” he said.
Mr. Paul also laughed off a gibe by Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, that the senator gets his talking points from progressive MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. She was responding to 2009 comments in which Mr. Paul linked Mr. Cheney’s business interests in Halliburton with the Iraq War.
“It’s kind of funny … she is not my biggest champion,” Mr. Paul said of Ms. Maddow.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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