Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a potential 2016 presidential aspirant, campaigned in Ashland on Wednesday with Republican Senate candidate Ed Gillespie and congressional nominee Dave Brat.
Virginia, you have been tricked, Paul told a crowd of about 150 at the Hanover Arts and Activities Center.
You have been hoodwinked into believing that Mark Warner is a moderate. ... When Warner is home, he tells you one thing. He used to be for a balanced budget amendment. Mark Warner said one thing when he was running for office, but I was there; I watched him vote against it.
Paul stumped for the candidates three weeks before the Nov. 4 election. Gillespie faces Warner and Libertarian Robert C. Sarvis. Brat faces Democrat Jack Trammell and Libertarian James Carr in the contest for the 7th District seat formerly held by Republican Eric Cantor.
Brat spoke first at the rally, then Gillespie, who introduced Paul. The Kentucky senator, who wore jeans and cowboy boots, was greeted with thunderous applause.
On the Affordable Care Act and Warners support for the health care law, Paul said:
Im a physician, and I am a little bit bothered by Mark Warner, who thinks youre not smart enough to choose your own doctor. I think youre smart enough to choose your own doctor, and I think you may be just smart enough to choose a new senator.
Paul said the election is about the freedom of choice. Its about whether or not the politicians in Washington think that you are smart enough to make your own choices, he said.
Its about whether you want people who believe in the freedom of choice or you want people who are arrogant enough to make those choices for you. I think there is no question, we need a change this year.
In a statement released Wednesday afternoon, Warner campaign spokesman David Turner said that by campaigning with Paul, Gillespie just confirms that he would stay true to his history as a self-described partisan warrior.
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Rand Paul stumps for Gillespie and Brat in Ashland