While Gov. Andy Beshear continues to prompt 2028 speculation with an increasing number of national media appearances and a visit to South Carolina this week, Sen. Rand Paul hasn't been making any public moves toward a presidential run. But the third-term senator didn't immediately quash the idea at a recent stop in Shepherdsville.
Paul told WHAS it's "too early to tell" if he would throw his hat into the ring. While the senator has made headlines by opposing the debt increase under the GOP tax and spending bill, he pointed to trade as an issue where he feels another Republican voice might be needed in the next presidential contest.
Paul said there needs to be "someone representing the belief that we get richer and more prosperous the more we trade with the world."
It's another issue where he's clashed with the Trump administration, which has favored tariffs and bilateral trade deals.
The senator does have some experience in the spotlight. He ran for president in 2016, dropping out after a poor showing in the Iowa caucuses.