Rand Paul posted a surprising tweet just as voters in 11 Super Tuesday states were at the polls. He will "un-suspend" his campaign if the New Hampshire Union Leader newspaper declares a "do over" and endorses him.
The offer to renew his White House bid comes as the newspaper's editorial board publishes a retraction of its earlier endorsement of Chris Christie, saying it made a mistake in backing the New Jersey governor ahead of the New Hampshire primary. The paper cited Christie's decision to endorse Donald Trump as the reason for its decision to revoke the endorsement. Christie did poorly in New Hampshire, despite the paper's support, and dropped out of the race a day later.
If they endorse me and declare a Do Over in New Hampshire I will un-suspend 😄Happy #SuperTuesday https://t.co/6oaZPIdvWg
-- Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 1, 2016
Paul suspended his campaign a month earlier after a disappointing showing in the Iowa caucuses. He has focused on his effort for a second term in the U.S. senate representing Kentucky.
The Union Leader's editorial board published this:
Boy, were we wrong.
We endorsed Chris Christie in the New Hampshire Presidential Primary. Despite his baggage, we thought that as a Republican governor in a Democratic-leading state he had the skills and experience the presidency needs (and hasn't had of late). We also thought he had the best chance to take on and face down Donald Trump.
Watching Christie kiss the Donald's ring this weekend -- and make excuses for the man Christie himself had said was unfit for the presidency -- demonstrated how wrong we were. Rather than standing up to the bully, Christie bent his knee. In doing so, he rejected the very principles of his campaign that attracted our support.
Voters here apparently knew better than we. Most rejected Christie but divided their votes among several others, leaving Trump to claim victory. And now, despite specifically telling us that he would never endorse him, Christie is backing Trump.
If nothing else, that might wake up some Trump fans. We will look for that, just as soon as we get the egg off our face.
