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Republicans from all across Kentucky will be in the audience next week when Sen. Rand Paul announces his presidential run in Louisville with one big exception.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has endorsed Pauls national bid. But there are official endorsements and then there are endorsements with all the accouterments fundraising help, stops on the campaign trail, leaning on fellow pols to get on board and McConnells imprimatur is decidedly in the former category.

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In the latest twist in a relationship between two politicians who in many respects are polar opposites, the Republican leader wont be on hand for his junior senators White House campaign kickoff. Sources familiar with his decision insisted its not meant as a slight: McConnell is simply following through on his pledge not to campaign for Paul, lest he play favorites among the three other members of his conference planning or eyeing bids of their own.

While McConnell has made his support for Rand known, he also has a job to do as majority leader, said one Republican official with knowledge of their relationship. With several members of his conference running for the same office, its just easier for him to do his day job that way.

The two Kentucky Republicans cut very different profiles one is the embodiment of the party establishment, the other a tea party libertarian yet theyve formed an alliance the past few years that has paid political dividends for both. Each has helped the others cause with the part of the GOP in which hes weakest Pauls endorsement of McConnells reelection last year helped the GOP leader court the conservative grass roots, and McConnell has lent Paul cred with more mainstream Republicans as he tries to broaden his appeal for 2016.

But McConnells move to skip Pauls presidential launch shows the limits of their alliance.

McConnell isnt the only lawmaker grappling with the presidential ambitions of colleagues from their states delegation. In states such as Florida, where Sen. Marco Rubio plans to formally announce his bid in mid-April, Republicans like Rep. John Mica are instead supporting their states former governor, Jeb Bush. In South Carolina, Sen. Tim Scott plans to stay neutral even as his senior colleague from South Carolina, Lindsey Graham, is openly toying with a run. And in Texas, conservative firebrand Ted Cruz has won few allies in his states delegation, with many eager to jump behind another candidate or stay out of the race altogether.

Asked about Cruz, Texas Rep. Pete Sessions said he believes his states delegation will instead rally behind a Republican candidate with wider appeal.

We need someone who can win the state of Florida, can win the state of Pennsylvania and can win the state of Ohio, Sessions said. We can have favorite sons. There is nothing wrong with that, but Republicans want to win before we want an ideological [candidate].

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McConnell-Paul alliance has its limits