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Is Rand Paul eyeing a 2028 presidential run? Here's what he had to say

Is Sen. Rand Paul eyeing another chance at the White House? "It's too early to tell" if he'll make a bid in the 2028 presidential election, he said at an event in Shepherdsville on July 14. But he didn't rule out a future run. "I think in the Republican Party, though, there needs to be someone representing that international trade is good for America, that we get richer and more prosperous in the world we trade..." Paul said. "There's a feeling for some, led by the president and others, that they want less trade and somehow limitations on trade." The Kentucky senator was recently featured in an Axios article on potential GOP contenders who are trying to build a national profile. According to the article, Paul has already visited Iowa and South Carolina and has plans to go to New Hampshire, an early primary state. Other possible contenders listed in the article included Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott. It wouldn't be Paul's first time running for president. He previously ran in the Republican primary in 2016, where he traded insults with now-President Donald Trump. During the campaign, Paul called Trump a "fake conservative," as well as a "delusional narcissist and an orange-faced windbag." Meanwhile, Trump said Paul "reminds me of a spoiled brat without a properly functioning brain." Paul dropped out in February 2016 after a disappointing finish in the Iowa caucuses. Almost a decade later, he can still be seen as a foil to Trump on some policies, including government spending. Paul was one of three Republican senators who recently voted "no" on Trump's "One Big, Beautiful Bill" because it was projected to add to the nation's debt. He is generally described as a libertarian and considers himself a member of the Senate's informal Tea Party Caucus, a movement that generally opposes excessive taxation and government intervention. Paul's seat is next up for reelection in 2028. He could potentially run for both Senate and president, as he did in 2016, if the Kentucky Republican Party chooses to again hold a caucus instead of a primary for the presidential nomination. Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at hpinski@ or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Is Rand Paul running for president in 2028? Here's what he had to say