Rand Paul defeats Charles Booker to secure third U.S. Senate term
Rand Paul easily secured a third term in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday night, quashing Democratic challenger Charles Booker, who was underfunded and hamstrung by national headwinds facing his party.
The Associated Press called the race at 7:14 PM EST.
With 95% of the vote counted, Paul was trouncing Booker by 24 points.
“Tonight, as America chooses a new path, it is imperative that we understand that minimal, constitutional government allows maximal freedom,” Paul said in his victory speech. “We come together under the belief that government is instituted among men and women to preserve our God-given freedom, period. Our desire is to not rule over others but to largely leave people alone.”
Paul did not mention Booker, but said people should make common cause with their adversaries, agreeing to disagree without anger.
Paul’s victory was the third of 34 Senate races to be called on Election Night and Florida Sen. Rick Scott, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, swiftly congratulated him, calling Paul “one of our leading advocates for liberty.”
While some early results showed Booker briefly taking a lead over the incumbent after ballots from Louisville were reported, hopes among Democrats for an upset dissipated quickly. At his own election party on Tuesday, Booker declined to immediately concede and said the race was called “prematurely” due to his being a Black man.
But the Democrat admitted defeat on Wednesday morning.
“I respectfully concede my loss in this Senate race. The odds were clear from the start, but so was my faith and our collective urgency for change,” Booker said in a statement. “This loss hurts because I was unable to overcome the obstacles I knew would come. I own that, and humbly ask that the people of Kentucky see my heart, and forgive me for not getting it done.”
The Kentucky Republican, who carries a libertarian brand of conservatism, positioned his campaign lamenting Democratic Party spending, hammering calls to “defund” law enforcement and pledging to probe the federal government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Contrary from previous Democratic candidates in the commonwealth, Booker ran as an unabashed progressive, betting that bold ideas would attract more disengaged people to participate.
But Paul largely ignored Booker, even refusing to meet him on a debate stage for the campaign’s duration.
Booker, the first Black nominee for U.S. Senate in Kentucky, also failed to attract the attention of national Democrats, who focused their time and resources on a slate of other battlegrounds in Pennsylvania, Georgia and Nevada, which will determine control of the 50-50 Senate and whether Mitch McConnell returns as majority leader.
If Republicans seize control of the upper chamber, Paul is poised to lead a Senate health committee in which he will hold sweeping power to investigate the Biden administration’s handling of the pandemic.
He has already said he would subpoena troves of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s documents and promised to “make sure that Fauci’s propaganda never guides another terrible policy ever again.”
Paul spoke on a cool evening from a podium on the back deck of the Bowling Green Country Club, backed by a large U.S. flag. There were clusters of red, white and blue balloons on the deck, and portable propane heaters to ward off the chill.
Dozens of supporters cheered and held up “Stand with Rand” signs as Paul stepped to the podium.”
“Thanks for coming out to Dr. Fauci’s retirement party,” Paul said, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Paul has repeatedly clashed with Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, over his handling of the COVID -19 pandemic. The senator predicted Republicans would take control of the Senate and said would subpoena “every scrap of paper” Fauci has in investigating the pandemic, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
“No bureaucrat -- are you listening Dr Fauci? -- no bureaucrat should be above the law. No bureaucrat should be allowed to deny information to Congress. No bureaucrat should be allowed to lie.”
Paul said six million people died worldwide as a result of the pandemic, but Congress still hasn’t had a hearing on the origins, adding that under his leadership a Republican-led Congress would investigate why U.S. tax dollars were sent to Wuhan, China to fund “dangerous research.”
“I promise you this: The COVID cover up will end,” Paul said.
But Senate control remained too close to call late Tuesday, as results continued to trickle in across the country.
Tessa Duvall contributed reporting from Louisville and Bill Estep contributed reporting from Bowling Green.
This story was originally published November 8, 2022 at 7:25 PM with the headline "Rand Paul defeats Charles Booker to secure third U.S. Senate term."
