AP, Hotline Call Kentucky Primary For Rand Paul

Jillian Bandes | May 18, 2010 8:20 PM

Paul is winning by 24 points with 43 precincts reporting, and that's enough to put him over the top. Paul will now be the one to face either Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo

and state Attorney General Jack Conway in the general election — their race was too close to call just yet. Whoever wins that will be the replacement for retiring Sen. Jim Bunning in a state with 10.7% unemployment. From the AP:

The Kentucky election was being watched around the country, especially after tea party activists helped to defeat three-term Sen. Bob Bennett in Utah and forced Florida Gov. Charlie Crist to abandon the GOP to make an independent run for the Senate.

...Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin... supported Paul, while Grayson received endorsements from establishment leaders Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and former Vice President Dick Cheney.

Paul, the son of Texas Congressman and former presidential candidate Ron Paul, built his campaign on a handful of issues that showed key differences between him and Grayson. Among them, Paul promised to vote only for a balanced budget, to eliminate congressional earmarks, and to institute term limits. Grayson said it isn't practical to vote only for a balanced budget, objected to the elimination of earmarks and opposed term limits.

I want to congratulate Dr. Paul on a hard fought victory in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate. Dr. Paul is the right man to win in November and his victory today is a clear signal to the Washington establishment to shake things up. Dr. Paul is a strong conservative who will be his own man in Washington and work to end the bailouts, stop wasteful spending, and defend our Kentucky values. He will fight to take our government back.