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Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has snatched one of the GOPs young digital stars from likely primary opponent Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

Vincent Harris and his Austin-based firm Harris Media late Monday joined up with RANDPAC, with Harris officially taking the job of chief digital strategist for the Kentucky Republicans political operation.

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Cruz also is shedding other staff. On Tuesday, Texas Attorney General-elect Ken Paxton tapped as his top assistant Chip Roy, the senators top Cruz political strategist and former chief of staff.

Harris, who led the 2014 digital campaign for Sen. Mitch McConnell, has ties to several potential Republican presidential candidates. He led Mike Huckabees digital efforts in the 2008 GOP presidential primaries. In 2012, he handled Cruzs Senate campaign and also directed online strategy for Texas Gov. Rick Perrys presidential bid.

In an interview Tuesday, Harris said he picked Paul because of the Kentucky Republicans commitment to a strong 2016 digital campaign and because they both are alumni of Baylor University.

Rand Paul is a forward looking thought leader who is going to put a large emphasis on technology, probably a larger emphasis than any other candidate considering who he is, who his supporters are and his issue stands, Harris said.

Pauls digital team already includes Fredericksburg, Va.-based Saber Communications and CanDo Politics, which helped raise $35 million in small-dollar donations for Rep. Ron Pauls presidential campaign.

Cruz spokeswoman Catherine Frazier said the staff shakeups are part of the normal ebb and flow of politics, adding that Josh Perry has been the senators official digital director since 2012 as well as with his campaign in 2011 and is still dishing out Ted Cruz awesomeness on the internets every day.

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Paul hires digital guru away from Cruz