Rand Paul meets payment deadline for Kentucky caucus

Rand Paul’s campaign met a deadline Friday that will ultimately allow him to run for president and for re-election to his U.S. Senate seat at the same time.

Kentucky law bars candidates from appearing on the same ballot for more than one office, so Paul’s campaign pushed the state party to move up its presidential preference vote from the May primary to a March caucus.

Though the decision had its critics, the party voted last month to hold the more expensive caucus, but only if Paul paid $250,000 by Sept. 18 to help cover the costs.

Kentucky GOP Chairman Steve Robertson said in a statement Friday that those conditions have been met.

“We would like to thank Senator Paul for his effort and due diligence in working to ensure that Republicans across Kentucky will now have an early and relevant say in the 2016 presidential primary process,” Robertson said.

The caucus is set for March 5, and voters will make their choice for the Republican nominee by secret ballot. Presidential candidates have until Jan. 7 to file a declaration of candidacy with the state party. The state’s Republican delegates will be awarded proportionally.

The sum paid by Paul, however, only represents about half of the expected costs of the caucus, and Paul’s campaign has pledged to pay the full bill for the contest as the process unfolds.

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