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Rand Paul casthimself as a more electable Ted Cruzduring his appearance on"The Kelly File" Monday, one of the first potential opponents to remark on Cruz's candidacy.

Cruz announced he would run for presidentMonday during a speech at Liberty University in Virginia, positioning himself as a conservative who would fight government overreach.

"I didn't find much I disagreed with," Paulsaid of Cruz's speech. "If you look at our voting records, you'll find that we're very, very similar. I guess what makes us different is probably our approach as to how we would make the party bigger."

Paul said he and Cruz came "from the same wing of the party," but that polling showed him doing better against Hillary Clinton.

According to a Real Clear Politics average, Clinton beats Paul 50-41, a closer margin than any potential Republican 2016 candidate but Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who would lose to Clinton 49-41. Cruz would lose to Clinton by 50-39, Real Clear Politics found.

Paul said a potential winner couldn't win an election by just "throwing out red meat" and said he would be able to both excite the base and expand the party, "taking those principals of liberty" and a "unique brand of conservatism" and bringing them to a new audience.

When compared against Cruz, Paul has a higher percentage of Republican primary voters who say they could see themselves supporting him -- 49 percent to 40 percent -- and his libertarian leanings are more appealing to many young voters than Cruz's stance on social issues.

During Cruz's announcement speech at Liberty University, several students wearing shirts in support of Paul sat in the front row. Paul said he wasn't sure who orchestrated the students but said he was "glad to see them there and organized and excited about the possibility of them running."

Hesaid he'd make an announcement concerning his run April 7 and said he would "aggressively go after the Clintons" and their "corruption."

Hunter Schwarz covers the intersection of politics and pop culture for the Washington Post

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The Fix: Rand Paul is the electable Ted Cruz, says Rand Paul

Sen. Rand Paul, the Kentucky Republican and libertarian, Monday argued that hes the most electable GOP presidential candidate in 2016 and suggested that fellow GOP Sen. Ted Cruzs appeal wouldnt reach beyond the partys core voters.

Mr. Paul couldnt say exactly that hes running for president, because he hasnt declared himself a candidate. But during a Monday night Fox News interview, Mr. Paul took a series of shots at Mr. Cruz on the day the Texan launched his presidential campaign. (Mr. Paul did say hell have some kind of announcement April 7th.)

This isnt just about rousing the base. Its about exciting the base by being for the principles of liberty, but its then taking those principles of liberty, not diluting them, and taking them to new people and bringing them into the party, Mr. Paul said. Thats the way you win general elections.

He continued: Ted Cruz is a conservative, but it also goes to winability. And people will have to make a decision, which is the Republican who can not only excite the base but also bring new people into the party without giving up their principles.

Its hardly the first time Mr. Paul has taken shots at would-be 2016 Republican presidential candidates. Hes he a regular critic of Jeb Bush, a likely rival for the GOP nomination, and squabbled with GOP Sen. Marco Rubio in December over Cuba policy. He fought with Rick Perry, the former Texas governor, about Middle East foreign policy last summer.

So it was no surprise Monday that Mr. Paul took a few other unprovoked shots at Mr. Cruz on his big day. Mr. Paul noted that attendance at Mr. Cruzs Liberty University campaign announcement speech was required by the school. And 11 hours after Mr. Cruz made the case that Republican primary voters should choose a candidate who appeals to the base, Mr. Paul said he would try to grow the GOP to include African Americans and voters in liberal enclaves.

Ive spent the last couple years trying to go places Republicans havent gone and maybe not just throwing out red meat but throwing out something intellectually exciting to people who havent been listening to our message before, he said.

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Rand Paul, Tweaking Ted Cruz, Says GOP Must Reach Beyond Its Base

Paul made it clear Monday night he plans on waging a debate against his fellow tea party Republican, Cruz, who on Monday declared himself a presidential candidate.

READ: Why Ted Cruz is running now

"Right now, I'm the only one that beats Hillary Clinton in certain purple states," Paul said on Fox News' "The Kelly File," talking about recent polls. "There will be a lot of conservatives. Ted Cruz is a conservative, but it also goes to winability. And people will have to make a decision: Which is the Republican that can not only excite the base but can also bring new people into the party without giving up principles?"

The Kentucky Republican, who's expected to announce his own presidential bid on April 7, said he was "glad" to see Liberty University students wearing t-shirts in support of his own all-but-declared candidacy, when Cruz made his announcement.

"I guess what makes us different is probably our approach to how we would make the party bigger," Paul said, referring to himself and Cruz. "I'm a big believer that you should stand on principle ... but I also think we should take those principles and try to bring in new people with them."

For Paul, that means "not just throwing out red meat, but actually throwing out something intellectually enticing to people who haven't been listening to our message before."

Cruz has rocketed to the national spotlight in two and a half years since winning election to the Senate in 2012, in part because of his unabashed efforts to take down Obamacare. He's become a favorite among tea party circles, and his campaign strategy involves targeting the more libertarian wing of the party as well.

"Instead of a government that seizes your emails and your cell phones, imagine a federal government that protected the privacy rights of every American," Cruz said during his speech Monday.

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Rand Paul knocks soon-to-be rival Ted Cruz

Rand Paul casthimself as a more electable Ted Cruzduring his appearance on"The Kelly File" Monday, one of the first potential opponents to remark on Cruz's candidacy.

Cruz announced he would run for presidentMonday during a speech at Liberty University in Virginia, positioning himself as a conservative who would fight government overreach.

"I didn't find much I disagreed with," Paulsaid of Cruz's speech. "If you look at our voting records, you'll find that we're very, very similar. I guess what makes us different is probably our approach as to how we would make the party bigger."

Paul said he and Cruz came "from the same wing of the party," but that polling showed him doing better against Hillary Clinton.

According to a Real Clear Politics average, Clinton beats Paul 50-41, a closer margin than any potential Republican 2016 candidate but Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who would lose to Clinton 49-41. Cruz would lose to Clinton by 50-39, Real Clear Politics found.

Paul said a potential winner couldn't win an election by just "throwing out red meat" and said he would be able to both excite the base and expand the party, "taking those principals of liberty" and a "unique brand of conservatism" and bringing them to a new audience.

When compared against Cruz, Paul has a higher percentage of Republican primary voters who say they could see themselves supporting him -- 49 percent to 40 percent -- and his libertarian leanings are more appealing to many young voters than Cruz's stance on social issues.

During Cruz's announcement speech at Liberty University, several students wearing shirts in support of Paul sat in the front row. Paul said he wasn't sure who orchestrated the students but said he was "glad to see them there and organized and excited about the possibility of them running."

Hesaid he'd make an announcement concerning his run April 7 and said he would "aggressively go after the Clintons" and their "corruption."

Hunter Schwarz covers the intersection of politics and pop culture for the Washington Post

Read the original here:
The Fix: Rand Pauls response to Ted Cruz: Im the electable tea party guy

Rand Paul on Monday, in his first extensive comments since Ted Cruz officially announced his presidential candidacy, made the case that hes the electable Republican candidate.

The Kentucky senator, hours after his Senate colleague jumped into the presidential race, suggested his more inclusive vision for the Republican Party makes him a more appealing general-election candidate.

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Ted Cruz is a conservative. But it also goes to winnability, Paul said on Fox News The Kelly File.

The senator said that he didnt watch much of Cruzs Monday morning announcement and declined to take any major jabs at his likely rival. But he did suggest on several occasions that the party needs to do more than throw out red meat to its supporters and rally the conservative base an apparent attempt to differentiate himself from Cruz, a darling of the conservative wing but a polarizing national figure.

We kind of come from the same wing of the party. And if you look at our voting records, youll find were very, very similar, Paul said. I guess what makes us different is probably our approach as to how we would make the party bigger. And Im a big believer that you should stand on principle and be true to your principles, but I also think that we should take those principles and try to bring in new people with them.

Paul, all but certain to announce his presidential candidacy in two weeks time, touted polling data showing him doing well against presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, in swing states and among independent voters. And he made reference to his outreach to the African-American community in Ferguson, at the NAACP and elsewhere outreach he has said is necessary for the GOP to expand its base and win national elections.

Im the only one that beats Hillary Clinton in certain purple states. Im the only one that also scores above all the other Republicans in whether or not I can beat her, he said.

Cruz on Monday became the first official presidential candidate in the 2016 cycle, announcing his bid first with a tweet and then in a 25-minute speech at Virginias Liberty University, the worlds largest Christian university. The speech, peppered with religious imagery, was aimed squarely at the conservative wing as Cruz vies to become the bases preferred alternative to establishment front-runner Jeb Bush.

Paul is expected to announce his candidacy on April 7 in Louisville, after which he will visit the first four presidential nominating states in four days: New Hampshire the day after, followed by South Carolina, Iowa and Nevada.

See the article here:
Paul, reacting to Cruz, talks 'winnability'