Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul opted not to endorse former Vice President Dick Cheney’s daughter, Liz Cheney, in the race for Wyoming’s sole congressional seat Sunday.
Paul is supporting Republican state Sen. Leland Christensen. He argues Cheney is too pro-big government when it comes to presidential war powers.
”We’ve had a discussion about basically what are the powers of the presidency – many Republicans will tell you that the Obama presidency has grown too large in it’s ability to consume new powers as far of regulations, but I think also the Obama presidency has consumed too much power with regard to war,” Paul told The Daily Caller News Foundation. “And I think the Cheneys have been largely in favor of more power for the presidency.”
Paul said he believes Cheney, like her father, would support a running deficit if elected.
“You’ll recall Dick Cheney’s quote back from early after 9/11 saying deficits don’t matter and I think really there is a difference in the party between big government Republicans – those not concerned with deficits – and with those of us that believe in the Constitution and think the government should be very small.”
The former presidential hopeful slammed Cheney — who had a failed Senate bid two year ago — on her support for more troops in the Middle East.
“I think the Cheneys would have troops in 20 different countries,” Paul continued. “They recently had a debate in Wyoming and she said as much, that she’s for having wholesale troops back in the Middle East and advocated for not only troops in the Middle East but advocated enhanced interrogation – what others have called torture.”
According to Paul, the congressional hopeful represents a Neocon ideology that is leading the country in the wrong direction.
“I think there is really a big difference between limited government Republicans and big government Republicans who think that basically that we should collect all the information, all the bulk data on all the American versus those of us who believe in a strict interpretation of the Fourth Amendment that says you know what, unless a judge signs a warrant for an individual we shouldn’t be looking at their information,” he told TheDCNF.
Paul said he believes Christensen is the strongest of the congressional candidates in the primary race.
“There are several others in the campaign that I think are good, but we have waited and watched this and really think that he has the best chance of winning and representing the district,” Paul continued. “I think having someone like Leland Christensen who lives in Wyoming, who is not a newcomer to Wyoming, will defend property rights and stand up on principle is the kind of representative we need.”
The primary is slated to take place Tuesday.
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