It's the question that drew fire in Kentucky's Republican primary for U.S. Senate, when I asked Rand Paul last weekend if the vote for Republican Leader in the Senate came down to Kentucky's Mitch McConnell or South Carolina conservative Jim Demint, who would he support?
The question was in part prompted by Paul expressing dissatisfaction with Republican leadership, and McConnell is the nation's highest elected Republican.
Rival candidate Trey Grayson blasted Paul for his non-commitall answer. And when I went back to Paul on Thursday to ask him
again, he opted not to choose one or the other, again.
My question:
"Has anything changed? If I asked that question again now if it came down to DeMint versus McConnell, as Minority Leader,
would you answer that question differently today?"
"It's hard for us to begin imagining we're a frontrunner much less beginning to think who we would vote for. I think it's mostly
premature."
And after I pressed him, again...
"It's premature to ask, but the interesting thing about it is, it's not even a public vote is it?"
True enough. But, the vote will probably be the first vote for Kentucky's next U.S. Senator, to decide which Senator will
lead their respective party in the Senate.
Rival Trey Grayson suggests Paul's answer should raise doubts about all of Paul's positions.
"You get that issue wrong for a voter, I think it gives you some pause and makes you wonder on other issues like
drug control, abortion, taxes all the other issues that are out there, where somebody stands," Grayson said.
"But if they can't get that one right I think it would cause me to question that candidate if I were a voter just looking at the race
independently."
Grayson says, without hesitation he would vote for Mitch McConnell as Senate Gop Leader.
Monday night beginning at 5:00 p.m. - I'll have more on the internal battles of the Republican primary, including how
John McCain responded to my questions about Sarah Palin.
