LOUISVILLE, Kentucky – Rand Paul, the Republican Senator from Kentucky, has announced he will run for the office of President of the United States.
Paul is joined by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas as the two Republicans to announce their run so far. Several other high profile politicians are expected to join them including a couple of big names from Florida, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Sen. Marco Rubio.
Paul was elected to the Kentucky Senate in 2010 and has since made clear his opposition on LGBT issues.
“I don’t think I’ve ever used the word gay rights,” Paul said in a 2013 interview with Buzzfeed. “I don’t really believe in rights based on your behavior.”
Paul has also stated that he opposes gay marriage. Appearing in the documentary ‘Light Wins: How to Overcome the Criminalization of Christianity’, he says the idea of gay marriage “offends myself and a lot of people”.
Paul’s gay marriage concerns were also addressed in an interview with Glenn Beck after the historical Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage in 2013 where he said legalizing gay marriage could lead to people marrying animals.
The Republican nomination will be officially announced in Cleveland, Ohio in July 2016.
