Ron Paul's Son Borrows Tactics For Ky. Senate Bid

ROGER ALFORD

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Former presidential candidate Ron Paul's son is borrowing a page from his father's playbook for his U.S. Senate bid, leaning heavily on Internet fundraising and tapping the enthusiasm of young Republicans on college campuses.

The difference this time is that it could actually work. Eye surgeon Rand Paul, once ignored as a longshot, raised more than his main 2010 GOP primary opponent in the most recent fundraising period, and experts say he has a legitimate shot at winning the Senate seat being vacated by colorful Republican Jim Bunning.

"On some levels, it's more than a grass roots campaign," said Western Kentucky University political scientist Scott Lasley. "It's a guerrilla campaign. It's not the easiest to compete against."

Paul is doing traditional outreach through direct mail and the mainstream media, but also using Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites to get his message out. Though similar nontraditional strategies did not sweep Ron Paul into the White House, they could work on a smaller scale.

"The momentum is there now," said Rand Paul, 46, who is painting his candidacy as a way for people who feel disenfranchised to take back their government. "I don't think we can stop it."