A bill clearing the way for Sen. Rand Paul to appear on the ballot as a Senate and presidential candidate emerged from committee Wednesday.
State law currently prohibits candidates from running for two different offices on the same ballot in a general election. The amended bill would only apply to presidential and vice presidential candidates.
The Senate State and Local Government Committee approved the bill with little discussion. One of two nay votes came from Lexington Senator Reggie Thomas.
"It seems to me that if you're going to vote for someone for office, then you're expecting them to serve that office. Why would anyone go and cast their vote for a person who may not fulfill that position? That just defies common sense to me," Thomas argued.
Bill sponsor Thayer says the measure is modeled on a Wisconsin statute that allowed U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan to run for his House seat and the Vice Presidency at the same time.
For now, the measure appears unlikely to pass the state House.
