Just as Kentucky Senator Rand Paul announces his withdrawal from the presidential race, the government reports that Kentuckians have given him more money than any of his Republican opponents for the White House.
According to the latest count by the Federal Election Commission, Kentucky has given $1.4 million in individual contributions to candidates in both parties. A quarter of that money has gone to Paul.
Al Cross, director of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues at the University of Kentucky, says the reason isn’t puzzling, “He’s a United States senator who is relatively popular in his home state, so it’s no surprise that he should be leading the fund-raising in his home state.”
Paul had a net balance of about $1 million on December 31st. If he has any left now, he can give it back, donate it to charity or give it to others running for federal office. Or he can simply give it to himself, for his other campaign that’s still on -- for the Senate.
