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TIME Politics 2016 Election Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) speaks to an audience of supporters of Georgia Senate candidate David Perdue during a campaign stop in McDonough, Ga. on Oct. 24, 2014. Jessica McGowanGetty Images

Hes not officially running for president yet, but thats not stopping Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul from taking a few shots at his presumptive competition in the Republican primary.

The latest target: former presidential nominee Mitt Romney. And as hes done with other potential rivals, Paul argued that Romney simply cant win.

In an interview with Fox News Radio Monday, Paul said that Romney was a good person and a great businessman, but politically speaking he argued hes yesterdays news.

Hes tried twice I dont really think that there is a third time out there, he said. I think he did a lot of things right, but in the end you got to have a bigger constituency, you got to get new people, you got to attract new people to win and I think its time that probably the party is going to be looking for something fresh and new.

Paul has also taken aim at other potential presidential candidates, using similarly pragmatic language.

In December, he argued on Fox News that former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was out of practice. Hes been out of this for a while, he said. So maybe he needs to get back in and practice up a bit.

In November, he argued on CBS Face the Nation that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie had the wrong attitude. I think this sort of bully demeanor may go over well in certain places, he said, adding that he learned to be more polite growing up in the South.

In a more indirect way, Paul has also criticized his opponents by arguing that they are out of step with public opinion polls.

When criticizing Sen. Marco Rubios support for continuing the Cuban embargo, Paul cited an NPR poll that showed the majority of Cuban Americans back normalizing relations with the country. And in a midsummer back-and-forth with Texas Gov. Rick Perry, he noted that polls showed that most Americans are opposed to sending troops back to Iraqa position Perry has supported.

The rest is here:
Rand Paul Makes a Pragmatic Case Against Rivals