With nearly all precincts reporting in Kentucky, Paul was drawing 59 percent of the vote to Grayson's 35 percent — a yawning lead over a candidate once viewed as a sure bet for his party's nomination and openly backed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
In his victory speech, Paul applauded the tea party movement and issued a stern warning to the political establishment: "I have a message, a message from the tea party, a message that is loud and clear and does not mince words: We've come to take our government back."
Actualización: The Economist le dedica una foto y un comentario en su artículo sobre las primarias.
All Dr Paul had going for him was a famous father (the Texas libertarian, Ron Paul, who sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and may do so again) and the support of the tea-party movement that has electrified Republican politics this year. That proved more than enough. Being an outsider did not stop Dr Paul from routing Mr Grayson by 23 points. (...)
“The tea party is huge,” Dr Paul declared in his victory speech. It will certainly have a huge influence on the tactics of Republicans thinking of running for the party’s presidential nomination. But since only registered Republicans were allowed to vote in Kentucky’s closed primary, it is difficult to know how many other voters, even in Kentucky, will plump for a candidate who threatens to slash their entitlements and hankers after the gold standard.
