Scott Wartman

swartman@enquirer.com

Former presidential candidate Rand Paul said Friday he would still support Donald Trump if the controversial real estate tycoon ends up as the Republican nominee.

Paul's statement, in response to an Enquirer reporter's question, puts him at odds with other Republicans, including Ted Cruz, John Kasich and Donald Trump.

Those three candidates have backed off from earlier pledges to support the Republican nominee no matter what.

Paul, during a visit to Northern Kentucky Friday morning, said he will support whoever is the Republican nominee, even if it's Donald Trump. He said it's better than supporting Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Paul criticized Clinton's comments she made while campaigning in Ohio that she will "put a lot of coal companies and coal miners out of business." Those words will likely reverberate around the state in the next few months and could hurt Clinton.

"I think we never get the candidate we exactly want unless you're the candidate," Paul said. "Think about it from this perspective. I'm from Kentucky, and Hillary Clinton recently said she would put coal miners out of business, and she would put coal companies out of business."

Paul ended the press conference after that and didn't take follow-up questions.

He said he won't endorse anyone in the Republican Primary. Paul, who dropped out of the GOP presidential race in February after a disappointing showing in the Iowa caucuses, is running for re-election this year to the U.S. Senate.

Paul also explained his April Fool's Day prank, which involved a fake presidential endorsement.

He tweeted yesterday he would have a "YUGE" endorsement Friday.

Turns out it was an April Fools' joke.

"We were driving around in the car yesterday and said, 'What's tomorrow? April 1?'" Paul said during an early morning town hall appearance at Gateway Community and Technical College in Covington. "So we decided to have a little fun and announce an April Fool's joke."

He tweeted Friday morning he endorses "entropy."