U.S. Senator Rand Paul will continue to build his national profile with a speech at the Republican National Convention later this month.A speaking slot at a convention is usually a springboard for wider national appeal. Senator Paul is a rumored running mate for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, and a potential presidential candidate in 2016.But Paul may have been selected for another reason.“Rand Paul has all the good political points associated with his father, but has none or very few of the negatives associated with his father,” says Courier-Journal political columnist John David Dyche. “Rand Paul has a national prominence, he’s a recognized force, he is a good speaker and as you say he bridges the gap very effectively between the Ron Paul forces, the Tea Party forces and the Republican establishment.”Paul’s father is frequent presidential candidate and Texas Congressman Ron Paul, who has a rabid following but is seen as too rigid to be elected nationally. Ron Paul is not slated to speak at the convention.Dyche says he believes Rand Paul will use the big stage to highlight his socially conservative views, since many know him only for his fiscal positions, and the right speech could make Paul seem more well-rounded and adaptable than his father.
