Rand Paul Wins Support in Cruz, Perry Backyard

Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.) is stealing political support from his rivals backyard.

Texas GOP Chairman Steve Munisteri is set to announce Friday that he is resigning his party post in early March and joining Mr. Pauls team of advisers for a possible 2016 presidential campaign.

Mr. Munisteri, in throwing in with Mr. Paul, is giving a cold shoulder to Texas Republicans thinking about presidential bids, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

He gives a boost to Mr. Paul in a crowded field of potential GOP candidates in a state that will loom much larger in the GOP nominating process in 2016 than in the past. The state is expected to hold its primary March 1, which could make it one the first big, vote-rich states in the presidential calendar.

The announcement is part of a broader intensification of jockeying for the 2016 campaign as potential candidates are not just amassing staff and cultivating donors, but they are already competing with each other for resources.

Mr. Munisteri said he was backing Mr. Paul because he has known him since he was a young campus activist, and because the senator has made efforts to reach out to new constituencies such as young people and African Americans who have traditionally not been well-represented in the GOP.

Ive known the senator for 33 years and what Im most impressed with about him is his commitment to expand the partys reach, said Mr. Munisteri. Our party cannot be successful, we cannot retake the White House if we do not do a better job of reaching out. Senator Paul has had that message since hes been in office.

Mr. Paul has Texas roots of his own. His father, former Texas Rep. Ron Paul, ran multiple presidential campaigns with strong support from libertarian conservatives. He grew up in Texas and went to college at Baylor University where he was a leader of a campus group, Young Conservatives for Texas, which had been founded in 1980 by Mr. Munisteri.

Mr. Munisteri has wide fundraising connections in Texas, where he has been chairman of the Texas GOP since mid-2010 as well as experience on several national presidential campaigns. He did not, however, back any of Ron Pauls presidential bids. He supported Mr. Perry in 2012.

Were really pleased to have Steve and his experience joining Team Rand, said Doug Stafford, a senior Paul aide. Im sure there are many folks in Texas who would be happy to have his support but he has chosen Sen. Paul because he has the best chance to win nationally.

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Rand Paul Wins Support in Cruz, Perry Backyard