AP
Paul's speech was nominally a filibuster against Obama's CIA nominee Jon Brennan, but it was really a much bigger speech about civil liberties, drones, executive power, and a lot of related topics that upend the traditional right-left spectrum.
Republicans from across the ideological spectrum spontaneously rallied around Paul's filibuster, flooding Twitter, Facebook, and even the White House petitions site with support for the Kentucky Senator. By hour seven, the Senate floor had become a revolving door of up-and-coming lawmakers who took turns relieving Paul.
Even established Republicans came around to the Kentucky libertarian, praising Paul for bringing the party together on the issue.
Furthermore, civil liberties can be a winning issue for Republicans.
Since the GOP's big win in 2010, the party has mostly engaged in losing fiscal fights that end up with the party being divided, and polls showing that Obama comes out ahead. It's very easy for the media and even centrist Republicans to beat up on the right for taking actions that could lead to economic disaster (like not raising the debt ceiling).
But here the GOP is on solid footing, raising legitimate issues that put Democrats (who were more at ease with civil liberties talk under the Bush years) on the defensive.
This is an issue that the GOP can find real traction on.
In the last question of the night, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott summed up the general feeling:
"You don't have to like Rand to #standwithRand," said South Carolina Republican Tim Scott.