Sen. Rand Paul on Sunday said there is no question his 2016 GOP rival for the president, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, is an American citizen despite his birth in Canada.
But the Constitution’s call for a “natural born” candidate poses a legal question for Mr. Cruz, should he become the nominee, Mr. Paul told CBS’s Face the Nation.
“I think the Democrats will challenge it, at the very least,” Mr. Paul, Kentucky Republican, said.
“He would be the first president not born in the United States,” he added. “That alone would be extraordinary.”
As it stands, Mr. Paul is lagging behind in the polls. Mr. Cruz and businessman Donald Trump lead in Iowa and another GOP senator, Marco Rubio of Florida, sits in third.
Mr. Paul, however, insisted he has a great ground game in Iowa and plans to get support from thousands of college students during the Feb. 1 caucuses.
“Really a caucus is about turning your people out,” he said.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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