Paul, GOP campaign committee at odds

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Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul and the National Republican Senatorial Committee are at odds after Paul allegedly misconstrued a conversation he had with the group’s political director Wednesday.

The dust-up came after Paul spoke with committee political director Randy Bumps on Wednesday and his campaign subsequently spread word that the group would not become involved in Kentucky’s GOP primary next year.

“The NRSC will not endorse in the primary, and I think most Kentuckians will welcome the fact that they’ll be able to make their decision on the merits of the candidates and not on undue outside influence,” Paul, a Bowling Green ophthalmologist, said in an interview.

Paul said he believed the committee was “hedging its bets” because it no longer believes that Secretary of State Trey Grayson is the odds-on favorite to win.

But Brian Walsh, a spokesman for the committee, said in an interview that Bumps didn’t say what Paul claimed he did.

Although the senatorial committee hasn’t endorsed anyone in the race, it’s generally assumed that the group is backing Grayson.

In September, 24 senators — including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Sen. John Cornyn, the committee’s chairman — held a fundraiser for Grayson at the group’s headquarters.

“Randy did speak with Mr. Paul,” Walsh said. “But what Mr. Paul told you was not entirely accurate. What Randy told him was that the NRSC does not anticipate making any endorsements in the race but that we reserve the right to do so.”

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20091125/NEWS01/911250359/Paul%2B%2BGOP%2Bcampaign%2Bcommittee%2Bat%2Bodds