What Rand Paul wants you to think about his 2016 campaign
On Sunday, Paul's team released a video, titled "A Different Kind of Republican Leader," previewing his big announcement.
The nearly three-minute video, which feels more like a movie trailer than a campaign ad, presents four basic messages about Paul's upcoming campaign. Above all, it's clear he wants to be seen as a "different" candidate willing to buck conventional wisdom in order to tackle the country's problems.
Business Insider gathered some of his specific campaign themes below:
1. Paul is new and exciting.
The video's beginning declares a "different kind of Republican will take on Washington" on Tuesday. Ominous, dramatic music plays to build the tension.
"There's probably few candidates for 2016 that are more interesting than Rand Paul," then-CNN anchor Candy Crowley says in the following segment.
Throughout the video, the music gradually becomes more uplifting as both conservative- and liberal- leaning pundits applaud his moxie. At one point, Fox News host Sean Hannity praises Paul for displaying "stamina" and "passion" during a Senate filibuster.
"It's time for a new way. A new set of ideas. A new leader," Paul tells a cheering audience at the end. "Above all, it's time for a new president."
The video has one ask for viewers: "Join the movement."
2. Paul will run against Washington.
Though he works in Congress, Paul is unquestionably set to campaign against the ways of Washington. Besides the vow to "take on Washington," Paul's video features clips of the libertarian-leaning senator railing against the political establishment.
"To fix Washington, we cannot have business as usual. Congress should read every bill," Paul says in one clip. "Congress should also live under the laws they pass. If they won't listen, we should limit all their terms and send the career politicians packing!"
According to a Monday report in Politico, Paul's campaign announcement slogan will be distinctly populist: "Defeat the Washington machine. Unleash the American dream."
3. Paul will conduct extensive outreach to minority voters.
Paul wants everyone to know he won't ignore African-American voters, even though they often cast their ballots for Democrats. His video features Michael Steele, the first black chairman of the Republican National Committee, praising his outreach efforts.
"He's got African-Americans taking pause and looking at him," Steele says in a clip.The video also suggests Paul has found a message he thinks will help him reach out to minority voters. The montage includes Fox News anchor Chris Wallace noting that Paul established an outreach center in Detroit, Michigan, and a nod towards Paul's plan to provide economic assistance to inner cities. "Liberal policies have failed our inner cities!" Paul declares at another point in the video. As senator, Paul took a number of steps to reach out to minority voters. He spoke at multiple historically black universities and introduced legislation with Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) designed to reduce sentencing disparities between white and minority drug offenders.
4. Paul can win.
Paul has repeatedly sought to portray himself as a more electable alternative to some of his hard-right rivals in the 2016 primary. Throughout the video, Paul continually reinforces this message by quoting multiple pundits touting his ability to win.
"He's got the organization on the ground right now. He's in all 50 states," Steele says at one point.
Democratic opinions were also cited."The senator from Kentucky might just be the candidate who ends up winning this thing," says MSNBC anchor Chris Matthews, a former Democratic operative."At this point, you'd have to call him a front-runner," Democratic consultant Douglas Schoen adds in another TV clip, "and I think it says something profound about the Republican Party." Watch Paul's pre-announcement video below: