Rand Paul Forges His Own Path

Most freshman senators stay in the background when they enter Congress, ceding the spotlight to more senior colleagues. That has been true even of heavyweight personalities such as former Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. But that’s not the case for Kentucky’s new Republican Sen. Rand Paul, The Hill reports.

Paul

He’s taking a prominent role in major issues from the get go. For example, he has presented a plan to slash $500 billion from the government budget in the next year. Paul was the first Republican in the Senate to complain that House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s proposal to trim $32 billion from the federal budget this year doesn’t cut it.

Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., one of Congress’ top budget hardliners, says Paul’s plan has merit. “I think we could do it,” Coburn tells the National Review Online. “It’s entirely possible.”