Always donning millennial-approved Ray Ban sunglasses, seems to prefer turtlenecks to neck ties, not afraid to wear baseball pants to deliver a speech … meet Rand Paul, the latest Republican to announce his official presidential run.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. at a reception before a conference in Austin, Texas, March 2015. (Photo: Gage Skidmore)
A United States senator since 2011, Paul has been vocal over everything from drones, to the National Security Agency, to lower taxes—attracting positive attention from both Republicans and libertarians and cultivating a following of young fans.
Young fans “stand” with Rand at the Conservative Political Action Conference in March. Paul won CPAC’s presidential straw poll for the third year in a row. (Photo: Rand Paul Twitter, @RandPaul)
The Kentucky ophthalmologist turned senator isn’t afraid to do things his own way, and the images he posts and photographers capture prove it. Here’s look at the GOP’s newest 2016 contender.
Paul delivered a speech to The Leadership Institute in May while wearing his baseball uniform. Paul had Congressional Baseball Game for Charity practice earlier that morning. (Photo: Leadership Institute Twitter, @LeadershipInst)
State Sen. Don Huffines, R-Dallas, and Paul take questions from the crowd and the Internet at a Twitter-sponsored “Twitter townhall” meeting in March 2015. (Photo: Gage Skidmore)
The senator at home mowing his lawn. (Photo: Rand Paul Facebook)
Paul questions a witness during a Senate Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on President Obama’s request for authorization to use force against the Islamic State. (Photo: Kevin Dietsch/UPI)
Paul sat down with the Texas Tribune’s Evan Smith to talk about the future of tech policy at Austin’s South by Southwest Interactive Conference. (Photo: Brian Cahn/Newscom)
Paul examines the Bulldog mascot during a tour of the Citadel Nov. 12, 2013 in Charleston, S.C. Paul told cadets that Hillary Clinton should be disqualified from running for president because of the Benghazi affair. (Photo: Richard Ellis/Newscom)
“Shhh don’t tell First Lady Michelle Obama where we had breakfast this morning in Los Angeles!” Paul wrote on his Facebook timeline in September 2014. (Photo: Rand Paul Facebook)
Another dig at Michelle Obama? Paul posted this photo with the caption, “Just landed in Manchester, New Hampshire! Time for a quick bite from McDonalds, strictly from the dollar menu!” in April 2014. (Photo: Rand Paul Facebook)
Then-Congressman Ron Paul, and Senate candidate Rand Paul before a 2010 rally for Republicans in Louisville, Ky. (Photo: Gage Skidmore)
A very young Ron and very tiny Rand. (Photo: Rand Paul Twitter, @RandPaul)
Sen. Paul poses with Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., for Booker’s quest to take 99 selfies. On his Instagram, Booker wrote, “…I have found common ground around the urgent need to reform our criminal justice system and address the anguished and expensive reality of mass incarceration of nonviolent offenders in the USA. We also bonded over our respect for the holiday of Festivus (Senator Paul has a long list of grievances).” (Photo: Cory Booker Instagram)
In March 2013, Paul filibustered a vote on CIA Director John Brennan for 12 hours and 52 minutes on the Senate floor. Paul stopped speaking about U.S. drone policy around 12:40 a.m. (Photo: Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call)
The Paul family with Ronald Reagan at the 1976 Republican Convention. From left, Robert, Mom, Lori, Joy, Ron, Ron and Rand. (Photo: Rand Paul Twitter, @RandPaul)
Food pictures are popular on the senator’s Facebook page. When posting this one from an April 2014 trip to Maine, Paul asked for lobster recipes. (Photo: Rand Paul Facebook)
Paul stretches during the 53rd Congressional Baseball Game in Nationals Park, June 25, 2014. (Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
Paul speaks to the media after filing a class-action lawsuit against the Obama administration over NSA spying in February 2014. The lawsuit, called ‘Rand Paul v. Barack Obama,’ alleged violations of Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights. (Photo: Jim Lo Scalzo/Newscom)
Then-Senate candidate Rand Paul, with his wife, Kelley Paul, and sons Duncan and Robert, at a rally in Paducah, Ky. in 2010. (Photo: Gage Skidmore)
Vice President Joe Biden swears in Sen. Rand Paul on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. (Photo: Mary F. Calvert/MCT/Newscom)
Rand and his wife Kelley have been married for 23 years. (Photo: Gage Skidmore)
William, 21; Duncan, 18; and Robert, 15, at a “whistle stop” tour in Des Moines, Iowa in 2012. (Photo: Gage Skidmore)
It is a Paul Family tradition to go to Paxx Burk in Kentucky to pick out the family Christmas tree. (Photo: Rand Paul Twitter, @RandPaul)
Paul arrives at the Senate carriage entrance of the Capitol for votes on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014. (Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
Before Paul got into politics, he practiced ophthalmology–specializing in cataract and glaucoma surgeries, LASIK procedures, and corneal transplants. In August, he teamed-up with Dr. Frank Burns to perform pro-bono eye surgeries in Louisville. (Photo: Rand Paul Twitter, @RandPaul)
Journalists from The Founders Academy Newspaper interview Paul in January. (Photo: Rand Paul Facebook)
Rep. Brett Guthrie R-Ky., Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., and Rep. Mike Mulvaney, R-S.C., enjoy coffee on the steps of the Capitol with Paul. Paul invited members from both sides of the aisle for coffee and to talk about a way to end the government shutdown in October 2013. (Photo: UPI/Kevin Dietsch/Newscom)
Senators (and presidential candidates) Rand Paul and Ted Cruz speak at a 2013 Young Americans for Liberty National Convention. Soon they’ll speak with each other in presidential debates. (Photo: Gage Skidmore)
Paul found time to mingle with Austin locals during his time in Texas for South by Southwest. (Photo: Rand Paul Facebook)
In December, Paul took to Twitter to “air his grievences.” This picture was Tweeted with the caption, “Politics doesn’t involve enough puppies. People like puppies. #AiringOfGrievances” (Photo: Rand Paul Twitter, @RandPaul)
“The federal government might be closed, but I’m working in my DC office today,” Paul posted on an early March snow day. (Photo: Rand Paul Facebook)
Dr. Paul, the ophthalmologist, in his Bowling Green office in 2008. (Photo: Evan F. Sisley/Sipa Pres/Newscom)
Paul and his wife Kelley arrive at the TIME 100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 23, 2013. Paul was on the list of 100 most influential people in the world. (Photo: UPI/Monika Graff /Newscom)
Paul takes a stroll across the East Plaza of the Capitol on Wednesday, June 5, 2013. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)