When former Texas Congressman Ron Paul ran for the Republican presidential nomination the first time, he emphasized that it was essentially an education trip and a way to give the libertarian ideology a national platform. From there, the Campaign of Liberty formed and libertarianism started to show signs of a viable run.

Unfortunately that year, Senator John McCain would become the Republican nominee.

Four years later, Paul would run again and ultimately lose to former Governor Mitt Romney, but he ran a stronger and much more viable campaign. Out of the ashes of the campaign came organizations, PACs, and a national movement of conservative and libertarian activists. The emphasis being from this point forward: we need to focus on all offices, not just the Oval Office.

Now in 2016, that movement continues with Ron Paul himself throwing his support behind Dr. Kelli Ward.

In a letter to Ward, Paul himself stated:

As a physician, you have seen first­hand how ObamaCare has reduced our liberties in just a few short years. During your time as state senator, you have fought to reduce the size of government and restore the liberties of Arizonans. We need to elect more people into the U.S. Senate to stand alongside my son, Rand Paul. Because of your dedication to smaller government and restoring more of our personal liberties, I am proud to endorse your campaign for the U.S. Senate.

Having Senator Rand Paul in the United States Senate has certainly been an enormous plus, but Senator Paul can’t do it alone. As the liberty movement has grown over time, it has spread to involve offices from local school boards all the way up to the Senate with people like Rand Paul.

Ron Paul feels that Kelli Ward should be the one to replace Senator McCain and join the battle for liberty in the Senate.

Ward, like Ron Paul, has a background in medicine. She has a background working both in private practice and in the ER, and continued to work in emergency departments while she served as an Arizona State Senator.

Politically, she is strong on the Second Amendment, believes that Washington D.C. should be out of education, and only deploying the military as a last resort when declared by Congress. She also has a unique perspective on the healthcare issue like Paul himself did, as someone who practices medicine and has a great deal of experience in the field.

Ward has also shown herself to be a viable opponent to the vulnerable incumbent Senator.

Public Policy Polling conducted a survey last month in Arizona showing Ward tied with Senator McCain when polled in a two-candidate matchup. Furthermore, only 35% of Republicans approve of the job that Senator McCain is doing while a stunning 50% disapprove. The approval rating drops to 33% among “somewhat conservative” voters and 18% among “very conservative” voters. At the same time, 52% of “somewhat conservative” voters disapprove of his job and 67% of “very conservative” voters disapprove.

Senator McCain has a legacy of supporting big government policies that do not benefit the American people. The Arizona Republican Party has even formally censured Senator McCain for “drafting, co- sponsoring and voting for legislation best associated with liberal Democrats, such as Amnesty, funding for ObamaCare, the debt ceiling, assaults on the Constitution and 2nd amendment, and has continued to support liberal nominees.”

It’s time for a change. Senator McCain’s own state has shown this by polling close to Ward against McCain. Senator McCain’s own party has shown this by censuring him for standing by the liberal Democratic agenda instead of with Arizona. And now Ron Paul has joined the movement to replace Senator McCain.

Ron Paul, as well as many across Arizona, feel the answer to the John McCain problem is Kelli Ward.