Paul Emerging as the Strongest GOP Contender

First Read: “When looking at the potential 2016 GOP field, here’s a question to ponder: Who looks stronger today than at the beginning of the year?”

“It’s not Chris Christie (whose administration has been besieged by the Bridge-gate scandal). It’s not Jeb Bush (consider how his ‘act of love’ statement would be playing right now during this current immigration debate if he were running for president). It’s not Scott Walker (who got bad headlines from the release of those John Doe documents, though the prosecutor walking things back is a temporary help). And even though he’s had a bit of Inside-the-Beltway renaissance, it’s not Marco Rubio (if Eric Cantor’s support for a limited Dream Act took him down in his GOP primary, think of how Rubio’s authorship of the ‘Gang of 8’ could play out in 2015-2016). No, the person who’s arguably had the strongest 2014 — and remember we’re still a year away from the contest beginning — is Rand Paul.”