One point. Rand Paul was only one point behind Scott Walker in a recent Iowa poll among caucus voters. However, Walker just doesn’t have it, according to Republican insiders over at Politico‘s weekly survey of the first-in-the-nation races. Neither does Jeb Bush.

No Republican really has “it”. Not yet, but familiar names keep churning in the media cycle. And then there’s Rand Paul. His name doesn’t just pop out; he’s intriguing people. There’s no solid front-runner for the GOP right now but Paul’s “winning the GOP ground war” in Iowa and NH, Republican insiders told Politico.

“On the Republican side, the majority surveyed in both states said Rand Paul has the most robust organization. His father, Ron, finished third in Iowa and second in New Hampshire in 2012, giving the Kentucky senator a network to build from.”

“‘Paul probably has the best organization at this point, with good management and strong grass roots,’ said a New Hampshire Republican.” (Politico)

It’s not without its caveats. There’s a price to pay when one transitions from the most interesting man in politics, thanks to Time magazine, to being considered a top presidential candidate. Just look at the whole vaccine blow-out. The questions will only get tougher but that means business is getting serious.

Sen. Rand Paul on campaigning for president: “It’s really not a lot of fun.”

— Kasie Hunt (@kasie) February 12, 2015

There were two Rands present in Iowa earlier this month, says Jon Ward on Yahoo! News. There was the man who was frustrated with the media, and then there was the man with a passion and a message who could rally a crowd even when he’s fighting a cold.

People aren’t getting excited about traditional candidates, said a coordinator for Turning Point USA in Iowa. They’re looking for someone non-traditional, Democrat or Republican, and Paul could be it.

“Just look at who’s here,” said David Fischer, a former Iowa GOP official, as he surveyed the crowd at Paul’s gathering at a Des Moines winery. “He is actually bringing women, college students and people who are not white into the Republican Party.” (Washington Post)

If Rand Paul continues to tap into that genuine desire for something different in politics:

“It could make him a force in what promises to be a very crowded, fiercely contested 2016 primary.” (Yahoo! News)

Points go up and down, but spirit will defy numbers. Iowa caucus voters are very much aware of Rand Paul and that isn’t going away. We’ll see if we have a Senator… or a President in 2016. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook as we track Rand Paul’s progress.

Written by Sadako

(Photo courtesy of Gage Skidmore)

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