Rand Paul seeks new allies among Romney team

BOSTON Fighting to move beyond his father's shadow, Sen. Rand Paul is crafting new alliances with the Republican Party establishment during a Northeast tour that began Friday in Boston.

The 51-year-old Kentucky Republican, son of libertarian hero and former Texas Rep. Ron Paul, headlined an afternoon luncheon hosted by top lieutenants of former presidential nominee Mitt Romney a private meeting that comes as Paul weighs a 2016 presidential bid of his own. To succeed in a national campaign, however, those close to Paul acknowledge that he must broaden his appeal beyond the tea party and libertarian-minded activists who rallied behind his father's long-shot presidential runs.

Paul offered a unique blend of what he called "libertarian-ish" politics while addressing Harvard University's Institute of Politics Friday afternoon.

"The Republican Party will adapt, evolve or die," Paul declared.

He railed against perceived civil liberties abuses in the Obama administration, while suggesting his party should focus less attention on social issues. He also said the GOP should abandon calls to deport millions of immigrants and offered that armed school officials might help prevent further mass shootings.

But more than what he said publicly, Paul's private actions on Friday marked a new step in his push to strengthen his political standing.

The freshman senator attended the luncheon at the private-equity firm Solamere Capital, a Boston-area company led by Romney's his former national finance chairman, Spencer Zwick, and Romney's oldest son, Tagg. Romney himself serves as a senior adviser to the firm and has an office there, although he did not attend the gathering.

Zwick arranged a private audience of just a dozen key members of Romney's inner circle, including senior advisers Beth Myers, Bob White and Ron Kaufman.

"This was meant to be a real discussion with people that I view can be very helpful," Zwick told The Associated Press, adding that Paul "was very well received" during an hour-and-a-half discussion about policy and politics over salad and fresh fruit.

"He always leaves people feeling more positive about him than they did going in," Kaufman said of Paul after the meeting.

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Rand Paul seeks new allies among Romney team