Palin cuts spot for Rand Paul

Rand Paul’s latest ad in the Kentucky GOP Senate primary touts the support of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who is bucking the GOP establishment to weigh in on his behalf.

Paul first received Palin’s endorsement in February over Secretary of State Trey Grayson, who is viewed as the choice of national Republicans in the race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Jim Bunning. But Paul, a tea party movement favorite, has led Grayson in recent public polls and even picked up the surprise endorsement of Bunning last week.


The 30-second television spot, which began airing in the state’s major media markets Monday, features a clip of the 2008 vice presidential nominee praising Paul’s conservatism. It comes on the heels of Grayson’s comments last week when he told the Louisville Courier Journal that he didn’t believe the former governor was qualified to be president—a clip that was widely circulated by Paul’s campaign.

“He wants limited government. I respect that, and I’m proud to support him,” Palin says in the ad.

GOP presidential nominee John McCain and Palin easily carried Kentucky in 2008 with 57 percent of the vote.

Paul campaign manager David Adams declined to specify the size of the Palin ad buy, but told POLITICO it is only one of a several ads the campaign will cycle through in the weeks leading up to the May 18 primary that prominently feature other Paul backers—including a planned spot featuring Bunning’s endorsement.

Here's the Paul ad: