Presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) continues to campaign across Iowa ahead of Monday's caucus. Thursday evening, he received the endorsement of a group of Iowa veterans. ( Reuters photo )

A group of 65 Iowa veterans, representing 26 of the first-in-the-nation caucus state's 99 counties, announced Thursday evening they were endorsing U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) for the GOP presidential nomination.

They said they based their decisions on Paul's stances on liberty, VA reform, and foreign policy. The veterans coalition will now campaign throughout Iowa in the final hours before the Iowa Republican Caucus on his behalf.

According to a press release from the Paul campaign, announcing the endorsement, the veterans will be "actively spreading his conservative realist principles such as peace through strength, limited government, and expanded personal freedom. Sen Rand Paul is the only candidate who has worked in a Veterans Administration Hospital and has seen firsthand the price of Freedom."

Paul said he was honored to receive the veterans' support:

"Our military is second to none and much of that excellence stems from having professionals who serve voluntarily. The American soldier is a volunteer in defense of liberty. For you we are grateful: for your strength, your service and your sacrifice," Sen. Paul said. "As Commander-in-Chief, I would never ignore the human cost of war."

Additionally, the Paul campaign also met its goal of reaching 1 million Iowa voters by telephone ahead of Monday night's caucus. Upon reaching the milestone, Paul's chief strategist, Steve Grubbs, issued the following statement:

"Some campaigns are spending an unprecedented amount of money on television ads in Iowa, but the Rand Paul campaign has accomplished an unprecedented amount of volunteer phone calls. I have never seen a campaign reach the million call mark and on caucus night we will see the impact of these grassroots, organizational efforts."

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