Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul will announce his plans to seek the Republican nomination for president on Tuesday.
Paul will announce his intentions in Louisville before setting out on a four-day tour of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada, the first four states that will hold caucuses or primaries.
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Paul also plans to announce either Tuesday or soon afterward several House Republicans who will in some way aid his candidacy,
National Journal reports.
On that list are Reps. Justin Amash of Michigan, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Raul Labrador of Idaho and Mark Sanford of South Carolina.
Two years ago, Paul was seen as a strong libertarian voice that could take over from his father, former Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who mounted several presidential campaigns during his career.
Where Ron Paul was always a dark horse candidate, his son was actually seen as a contender by those who favored the libertarian message.
But Rand Paul's message has become more cloudy as it became more clear he would seek the White House,
The Washington Post reports.
Paul's two main areas of movement toward the conservative base are a more hawkish view of defense and foreign policy and wooing evangelical Christians, the Post notes.
"The First Amendment says keep government out of religion. It doesn’t say keep religion out of government," Paul told a group of pastors' wives recently.
Paul also is reaching out to black voters, trying to draw them into the GOP tent with talk of fixing unfair jail sentences and keeping taxes in impoverished areas where they are needed.
"Rand has made it clear that his strategy is to embrace a broader group of Republicans than his dad captured," said Drew Ivers, Ron Paul’s 2012 Iowa campaign chairman, told the Post. "Whether he can pull it off has yet to be proven, and he has significant challenges, even though he’s a smart guy and capable."
Paul's announcement will make him the second GOP contender to officially announce. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz made his announcement at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, on March 23.
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