Rand Paul formally announced his presidential bid during a speech in Louisville Tuesday.

Rand Paul Running For President

Paul delivered the speech to launch his presidential run in front of the historic Galt House Hotel. “Today I announce with God’s help, with the help of liberty lovers everywhere, that I’m putting myself forward as a candidate for president of the United States of America,” Paul concluded his lengthy speech at the rally.

The Republican senator, the second politician to officially enter the 2016 presidential race, targeted both Republicans and Democrats in his remarks, accusing politicians on both sides of the aisle of becoming “a part of the Washington machine.”

 

“Too often when Republicans have won we have squandered our victory by becoming part of the Washington machine. That’s not who I am,” Paul said. “That’s not why I ran for office the first time just a few years ago.”

“It seems to me that both parties and the entire political system are to blame.
Big government and debt doubled under a Republican administration,” Paul, son of former presidential candidate and longtime Texas congressman Ron Paul, went on. “And it’s now tripling under Barack Obama’s watch. President Obama is on course to add more debt than all of the previous presidents combined.”

Sen. Ted Cruz, who announced his bid for the presidency late last month, welcomed Paul into the race. “His entry into the race will no doubt raise the bar of competition, help make us all stronger, and ultimately ensure that the GOP nominee is equipped to beat Hillary Clinton and to take back the White House for Republicans in 2016,” Cruz said.

It’s expected that a third Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), will formally enter the race next week.