Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-KY) chief of staff plans to leave his boss’s Senate office to run his political shop, a move that points to a presidential run in 2016, National Review Online reported Thursday.
Doug Stafford, a close adviser to Paul, will run RAND PAC and Rand Paul for U.S. Senate, coordinating Paul’s calendar and communications in early primary states.
“It’s part of a natural evolution for Rand’s team,” says Trygve Olson, a Republican consultant who works with Paul. “Rand is doing a lot of things right now, so there’s a need to expand. Given Doug’s background in both establishment politics and grassroots politics, he’s a perfect fit”…
Paul has two upcoming trips to Iowa, a speech in New Hampshire on May 20, and a lecture at the Ronald Reagan presidential library on May 31. He’s also planning events in South Carolina, among other states.
