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ORLANDO, Florida (CNN) -

Speaking to a libertarian-leaning audience Sunday about ex-contractor Edward Snowden, Sen. Rand Paul said he's thinking about ways to "expand the whistleblower statute to government contractors."

"We've got so many millions of government contractors that when they see something wrong, they should be able to report it without repercussions," he said in a live video appearance to a Florida conference hosted by the Campaign for Liberty.

The libertarian-leaning senator from Kentucky, who's repeatedly said he has "mixed emotions" on the issue, has taken some heat from some in the libertarian base. While he thinks Snowden's efforts did a service to the country by disclosing the depth of data collection programs by the National Security Agency, Paul still believes Snowden broke the law and has said he deserves "a few years in prison."

Many libertarians, however, consider Snowden a hero. In fact, his father, former Rep. Ron Paul, praised the ex-contractor Friday night in a speech at the same Florida conference.

"I think we should praise our whistleblowers," Ron Paul said to applause, adding "people like Edward Snowden" should be rewarded.

While it's not new that Ron Paul has been more supportive of Snowden than his son, Rand Paul's consideration of expanding protections for whistleblowers is an approach that would appeal to those in the libertarian base.

Paul, who's mulling a presidential bid, said he still believes there needs to be some state secrets, but there also "needs to be a whistleblower program for people to have a venue."

Snowden faces felony charges of espionage and theft of government property in the United States, and he has said he won't return until the U.S. changes its whistleblower protection laws.

Snowden said last month that he's not protected under the 2012 Whistleblower Protection Enhancement, nor by an executive directive made by President Barack Obama two years ago that reformed whistleblower legislation but exempted intelligence community contractors.

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Paul's remarks prompted by Snowden's statements on protections for government contractors

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The Daily Briefing Buckeye Forum Podcast

The Dispatchpublic affairs team talks politics and tackles state and federal government issues in the Buckeye Forum podcast.

A federal appeals court likely represents the last chance for Libertarian candidates for governor and attorney general to appear on the statewide ballot.

The Ohio Supreme Court yesterday unanimously upheld a ruling by Secretary of State Jon Husted denying Steven Linnabary the chance to run for attorney general.

Linnabarys election petitions and those from the Libertarian Partys gubernatorial slate were disqualified by Husted because paid circulators who gathered voter signatures failed to disclose their employer on the petitions.

The justices ruled that Husteds interpretation of state law was reasonable in rejecting Linnabarys argument that one of his circulators was an independent contractor, rather than an employee, and not required to list an employer.

The court also found no substance to other issues raised by Linnabary, a Columbus resident, including claims that the First Amendment free-speech and due-process rights were violated.

We are disappointed. This is the first time that qualified candidates were cut off at the threshold because their circulators did not disclose their employment. This deprives Ohio voters of choice, and this is neither right nor fair, said Mark G. Kafantaris, a Columbus lawyer representing Linnabary.

Charlie Earl, the Libertarian candidate for governor, and Linnabary are asking the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a decision by a federal court judge denying them a spot on the ballot.

U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson of Columbus ruled against the would-be candidates, ruling that Ohios petition-circulation law places only a minimal burden on free speech.

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Federal court might be next for Libertarians wanting on ballot