FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - A political group that helped sway a Kentucky congressional primary last month has beefed up its staff with former Ron Paul campaign aides in hopes of electing more libertarian-leaning candidates this fall.
Liberty For All Political Action Committee, financed largely by millionaire college student John Ramsey, spent more than $500,000 on TV ads in Kentucky to help Republican Thomas Massie win the 4th District GOP nomination in May.
The super PAC's executive director, Preston Bates, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Chris Kuper has signed on as political director. Kuper had served as Paul's liaison for national coalitions. Bates said several other Paul aides also were added, including Jared Chicoine as senior adviser, Kate Schackai as press secretary, and Jordan Brown as senior researcher.
"The fact that we have the best talent in the liberty movement working now for Liberty for All means we can win a lot more elections a lot faster," Bates said.
Ramsey, a senior at Stephen F. Austin University in Texas, is just the latest wealthy individual to try to influence federal elections since a series of federal court decisions that deregulated the campaign finance system and dramatically changed the country's political landscape.
The 21-year-old contributed $1 million from an inheritance to create Liberty For All. He's part of an army of young Ron Paul supporters who have turned their attention to federal, state and local races after Ron Paul, their libertarian-leaning hero, had his presidential hopes dashed once again.
Ramsey's group got behind Massie, a protege of Paul's son, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., in the GOP primary race for Kentucky's open 4th Congressional District seat. Massie defeated two well-established Republicans, including state lawmaker Alecia Webb-Edgington, who had surged in polling after two influential politicians endorsed her.
Massie credited the PAC for helping him to win the Republican nomination, which makes him the overwhelming favorite in the November general election. He faces Democratic nominee Bill Adkins in a district with a long tradition of electing Republicans.
The group is now turning its sights on a Michigan congressional race this fall, backing freshman Rep. Justin Amash's re-election. It plans to continue being involved in the Massie race, and as many as 10 others that haven't yet been announced.