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# 8 Ways Rand Paul is Different from Ron Paul
- URL: https://ivn.us/8-ways-rand-paul-is-different-from-ron-paul/
- Published: 2013-09-30T18:00:03.000Z
- Updated: 2026-06-22T19:42:14.000Z
- Author: Carl Wicklander
- Tags: News

Ever since he began running for office, Rand Paul has been publicly contrasted with his former congressman father. Below are 8 ways Rand Paul is different from Ron Paul:

### 1\. Rand Paul is More Compromising and Pragmatic

Ron Paul often won [acclaim](http://www.bigeye.com/bulkflyers.htm?ref=ivn.us) for never voting for a tax increase or for any bill not specifically authorized by the Constitution. Rand Paul has indicated an interest in compromising on matters from [immigration](http://www.examiner.com/article/can-rand-paul-lead-gop-to-compromise-on-immigration-and-marijuana?ref=ivn.us) reform to [health care](http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2013/09/rand-paul-ive-said-all-along-its-not.html?utm%5Fsource=feedburner&utm%5Fmedium=feed&utm%5Fcampaign=Feed%3A+economicpolicyjournal%2FYZSb+%28EconomicPolicyJournal.com%29). He has also made efforts to compromise within his own party by [working](http://mjayrosenberg.com/2013/03/19/did-your-favorite-progressive-senator-sign-aipac-letter-to-obama-telling-him-to-stand-up-for-occupation-here-is-the-list/?ref=ivn.us) with [AIPAC](http://www.aipac.org/?ref=ivn.us) and allowing some [foreign aid](http://original.antiwar.com/giraldi/2013/06/19/rand-paul-defender-of-the-faith/?ref=ivn.us) to countries considered pro-American.

> [#VFW](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23VFW&src=hash&ref=ivn.us)[July 22, 2013](https://twitter.com/SenRandPaul/statuses/359301999742812161?ref=ivn.us)

### 2\. Statewide Elections - Rand Paul Has More Appeal Across an Entire State

In his first race, Rand Paul won the primary and general elections by [23](http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=21&year=2010&f=0&off=3&elect=2&ref=ivn.us) and [12](http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/results/kentucky?ref=ivn.us) points, respectively, and has already won more statewide elections than his father. The only time Ron Paul ever won a popular vote was the US Virgin Islands [caucus](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/12/ron-paul-virgin-islands-caucus-results%5Fn%5F1339944.html?ref=ivn.us) in 2012.

### 3\. Party Politics

Rand Paul [endorsed](http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/06/rand-paul-endorses-romney-125624.html?ref=ivn.us) Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in 2012 in a sign of party loyalty and [pragmatism](https://ivn.us/2012/06/09/rand-pauls-endorsement-of-mitt-romney-highlights-principles-and-pragmatism/). Ron Paul has not publicly endorsed a major party candidate candidate since Ronald Reagan. In 2008, the elder Paul, a GOP officeholder, [endorsed](http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/09/24/dismissing-bob-barr-ron-paul-endorses-constitution-party-candidate/?ref=ivn.us) Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin for president.

### 4\. Sanctions

> The real isolationists are those who choose to use force overseas to promote democracy, rather than seek change through diplomacy, engagement, and by setting a positive example. - Ron PaulRon Paul has

[called](http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/12/ron-paul-sanctions-against-iran-are-an-act-of-war/?ref=ivn.us) sanctions "an act of war" [and](http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-rlc/2412613/posts?ref=ivn.us) a "precursor to war." While Rand Paul has voted for sanctions on Iran, he has fought to ensure that nothing in the language of the [sanctions](http://www.politico.com/blogs/on-congress/2012/03/rand-paul-blocks-iran-sanctions-bill-118887.html?ref=ivn.us) "shall be construed as a declaration of war or an authorization of use of force."

### 5\. Iran it was "reckless" to take "nuclear weapons off the table in certain circumstances" regarding Iran. He has also couched his subsequent support for sanctions by

During his campaign for Senate, Rand Paul [said](http://original.antiwar.com/justin/2010/05/23/rand-pauls-problem-and-ours/?ref=ivn.us)[saying](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-shams/is-rand-paul-going-neocon%5Fb%5F3784998.html?ref=ivn.us) "a nuclear Iran would be a threat on a global scale."

Ron Paul has [said](http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/12/ron-paul-iran-does-not-threaten-our-national-security/?ref=ivn.us) there was no evidence Iran was building a weapon with its nuclear program. The elder Paul also rhetorically asked, "Why wouldn't Iran want a nuclear weapon" when so many of its neighbors have them. It was an indication that, although Ron Paul opposes nuclear weapons, he does not consider a nuclear Iran a threat to the US.

### 6\. Rand Paul is More Likely to Talk About Religionhttp://youtu.be/CW4otVz8DdUWhile Ron Paul has always identified himself as a Christian, he has doesn't talk about his faith very often. He has also

[said](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW4otVz8DdU&ref=ivn.us) activities like the Prayer Breakfast seem more about publicity than faith.

Rand Paul has spoken to numerous faith-based groups, often as a way of [spreading](http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/rand-paul-christianity-and-war/?ref=ivn.us) his views about Just War. The younger Paul also expressed his antipathy to a strike on Syria by making a deliberate [point](http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/rand-paul-no-war-on-middle-eastern-christianity/?ref=ivn.us) about how it would affect Middle-Eastern Christians.

### 7\. War on Drugs

Ron Paul has [said](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/04/ron-paul-war-on-drugs-prohibition%5Fn%5F1183353.html?ref=ivn.us) the war on drugs has been a "failure" comparable to the prohibition of alcohol. He has also [supported](http://www.newsmax.com/DougWead/legalize-drugs-ron-paul/2011/07/29/id/405266?ref=ivn.us) a general de-criminalization of narcotics on a federal level.

During his 2010 campaign, Rand Paul [favored](http://blog.mpp.org/medical-marijuana/paul-campaign-clarifies-medical-marijuana-stance/08202010/?ref=ivn.us) states rights regarding drug prohibition while also [telling](http://www.theamericanconservative.com/rand-paul-learns-to-love-the-drug-war/?ref=ivn.us) an evangelical Christian group in Iowa earlier this year that he "does not support the legalization of drugs like marijuana."

More recently, the younger Paul came out [against](http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobsullum/2013/09/18/rand-paul-i-am-here-to-ask-that-we-begin-the-end-of-mandatory-minimum-sentencing/?ref=ivn.us) mandatory minimum sentencing for drug possession. He also called for the [restoration](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/09/16/rand-paul-wants-to-restore-felons-voting-rights/?ref=ivn.us) of voting rights for felons, an important issue in the drug war.

### 8\. Income Tax

Since at least his 2008 run for president, Ron Paul famously [said](http://www.ronpaul.com/on-the-issues/taxes/?ref=ivn.us) that the national income tax should be "repealed and replaced with nothing." Rand Paul as recently as this summer advocated for the "Fair Tax" with a [rate](http://www.newsmax.com/US/rand-paul-flat-tax/2013/06/25/id/511886?ref=ivn.us) of 17 percent for individuals and supports eliminating "most" of the Internal Revenue Service.

http://youtu.be/4aLzToYEF0A