Around 8:49 a.m. EST, CNN reported that Rand Paul was dropping out of the presidential race. Finishing in fifth place in Monday’s Iowa caucuses with five-percent of the vote, Paul is said to have met with his staff earlier to discuss the issue.
“Paul discussed the matter with staff Wednesday morning and sent out a statement confirming the decision to drop out of the Republican presidential primary. “It’s been an incredible honor to run a principled campaign for the White House,” Paul said in a statement. “Today, I will end where I began, ready and willing to fight for the cause of Liberty.”
Mark Preston, CNN Politics Executive Editor, reported that Paul was looking to”
“…focus all his efforts on running again for Senate in Kentucky.
Another major question that this leaves is – Where are the Libertarian votes going to go? You can bet that the other presidential candidates will be scrambling to get them. Also, the question of, “Why now?”, was asked by Mario Cuomo. While there is still no definite answer to that question, Paul dropping out will surely change the numbers game come the New Hampshire vote.
Paul is expected to give an official announcement in a few hours. While Libertarians are sure to be disappointed, the scariest of the presidential hopefuls remain at the front of the pack.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjnPmovPuGE&w=853&h=480]
