Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul has endorsed Leland Christensen for Wyoming's open House seat just hours before Tuesday's GOP primary,
The Washington Post reports.
Christensen, a state senator, is battling in the primary against front-runner Liz Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, whom Paul says is too hawkish.
"This race puts the big government Republicans against the constitutionalist Republicans," Paul told The Washington Post. "We think Leland Christensen represents the constitutionalists.
"When you look at the record of the Cheneys, you see the philosophy that deficits don't matter," Paul continued. "You see defenders of an imperial presidency, one where there are no limits on the executive if war breaks out. The Cheneys have been champions of intervention in Libya, Syria and Iraq, places where our military presence made things worse."
Paul said he waited until the last moment to endorse Christensen because he wanted to see if he would establish himself as a credible candidate.
In the only poll of the race, the
Casper Star Tribune reported that in July, Cheney led with 21 percent of registered Republicans, state lawmaker Tim Stubson had 9 percent, and Christensen 4 percent. Half of those surveyed were undecided.
On the national level, Paul said he endorses Donald Trump for president after he heavily criticized him while running against the real estate mogul during the Republican primaries.
"What's encouraged me is that he has consistently said it was a mistake to go into Iraq," Paul told The Washington Post. "Years ago, Dick Cheney said that it would be a disaster if we toppled Saddam Hussein; something changed when he became vice president.
"Trump's been very clear about that, though, and when you look at a race between Trump and Clinton, Clinton's more likely to get us involved in a war. For all of the discussion of 'Trump said this' or 'Trump said that,' when you talk about who's reckless and dangerous on foreign policy, it's not Trump."
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