Rand Paul is not only a successful physician, but he is also a Senator representing Kentucky. Paul is a leader who promotes freedom and liberty, and he has even described himself as a libertarian Republican. Although Paul is one of the “cooler heads” in the Senate, he is unafraid to confront his political opponents with facts and data to back his stance. Currently, most Americans recognize Paul’s unwavering effort to see Dr. Anthony Fauci fired from his position as the White House Chief Medical Adviser.
Paul remains outspoken, albeit methodically outspoken, on his political beliefs, even though he has been put in dangerous situations on more than one occasion due to his standing up for what he believes is right. In 2017, Paul had been outside cutting his lawn when his neighbor attacked him from behind, stabbing him and breaking six of Paul’s ribs. (The neighbor would later blame the attack on a personal dispute regarding piles of brush.) In 2019, Paul was harassed while eating at a California restaurant; just one year later, Paul and his wife were accosted by a mob who were barely held off by DC police forces.
| Celebrated Name: | Rand Paul |
| Real Name/Full Name: | Randal Howard Paul |
| Gender: | Male |
| Age: | 59 |
| Birthdate: | January 7, 1963 |
| Birthplace: | Pittsburgh, PA |
| Nationality: | American |
| Height: | 5 ft. 8 in. |
| Weight: | 157 lb. |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Marital Status: | Married |
| Wife/Spouse | Kelley Ashby Paul |
| Children/Kids: | Three sons: Duncan, Robert, and William |
| Dating/Girlfriend Name: | N/A |
| Is Rand Paul Gay? | No |
| Highest Political Office: | United States Senator (R-KY) |
| Profession: | Ophthalmologist and politician |
| Colleges Attended: | Baylor University; Duke University |
| Degrees: | MD – Duke University |
| Salary: | $174,000 |
| Net Worth in 2022: | Estimated $1.5 million |
Biography: Early Life and Family
Rand Paul grew up around both medicine and politics, as his father, former presidential candidate and physician Ron Paul was no stranger to either of those areas. Although Paul was born in Pennsylvania, he would grow up chiefly in Texas. While growing up, Rand Paul was raised in a church-going family; they are Episcopalian by faith. At one time, Dr. Ron Paul was the only obstetrician in their area in Texas. Ron Paul’s life choices had a great influence on young Rand, who would follow in his father’s footsteps in many areas.
At the same time, Rand would immerse himself in the readings of Ayn Rand as well as the teachings of Carl Menger, Eugen Bohm von Bawek, and Friedrich von Wieser (these were known as the Austrian economists), among others. These studies, as well as his father’s influence would shape Rand’s future political beliefs.
Rand Paul attended Baylor University. While there, he completed all his prerequisites to be accepted to medical school at Duke University. Paul has undergone some scrutiny as one of his political campaigns published a biography in which it was stated that Paul graduated from Baylor. Since then, Paul has shared that Duke University’s entrance requirements at that time did not require a bachelor’s degree, so Paul is one of the few Congresspeople who does not have an undergrad degree. However, when he attended Baylor, Paul was an honor student. He actually completed his pre-med classes in a mere two and one-half years.
Paul earned his medical degree from Duke University, which his father also attended, in 1988.
Personal Life
Rand Paul is married to Kelley Ashby, who is a freelancer. Together, the couple have three boys: Duncan, Robert, and William. Today, Rand Paul and his family are active within their Presbyterian church.
Age, Height, and Weight
Rand Paul is 59 years of age. He is 5′ 8″ and weighs 157 lbs.
Net Worth
Paul’s most recent financial disclosures estimate he has a net worth of $1.5 million.
Rand Paul has worked as an ophthalmologist prior to his political career. He worked in the offices of other ophthalmologists for just over ten years before he opened his own practice.
Paul has been a part of the U.S. Senate since 2011. His annual salary as a Senator is $174,000 per year. However, Rand is also a published author, and this is likely where the bulk of his wealth is derived.
Paul has at least five books that he authored or co-authored. His most recent book is The Case Against Socialism, which was released in 2019. Some of his books are co-authored with his wife, Kelley.
Career Outside of Politics
Rand Paul completed his medical residency in 1993. After which time, he moved to Bowling Green, KY, where he and his family make their home today.
Rand Paul’s first ophthalmologist job was with the Downing McPeak Vision Centers. He also worked at the Graves Gilbert Clinic, then he established his own private practice. Paul still has an interest in this practice; however, once he was elected to the Senate, he merged his practice with his former employer at Downing. Currently, Paul has medical privileges at two hospitals in Bowling Green.
Although it is volunteer work, Americans should understand that Paul gives back to the community. He is a member of the Lions Club of Bowling Green, which is an organization that promotes early childhood screening for vision issues. Paul helped to establish the Southern Kentucky Lions Eye Clinic in 2009. This non-profit enterprise helps to provide both exams and even surgery for those individuals who are unable to pay.
Paul’s own specialty is in glaucoma, cataracts, and LASIK surgeries. He is also a specialist in corneal transplants.
When he is not in Congress, Paul still performs surgeries on a pro bono basis. He has traveled to both Haiti and Guatemala to perform surgeries that have saved the vision of many in those high-poverty areas.
Career in Politics
Rand has been around politics most of his life. He interned at his father’s Congressional office as a young teenager. He was present when his father headed the Texas delegation during Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaign in 1976.
Rand took a semester off during his time at Baylor to assist his father’s campaign in 1984. He also volunteered during Ron Paul’s presidential campaign in 1988.
In 1991, Rand founded the North Carolina Taxpayers Union. This was in response to President George H.W. Bush’s promise not to raise taxes. He would later establish the Kentucky Taxpayers United. Rand has credited these actions with his interest in politics and deciding to become personally involved as a Senator.
Paul’s experiences and his studies would make him the Congressman that he is today. He ran for a Senate seat in 2010, during the midst of the Obama Administration, and won. This made him the junior Senator for the state of Kentucky. At the time Paul was elected, the country was being swept by a Tea Party movement. In a phrase, the Tea Party movement could be described as fiscally conservative, wishing to see taxes lowered as well as lowered spending in the federal budget. Even today, Paul advocates for decreased spending and the free market.
One of Rand’s first activities was to form the Tea Party Caucus along with Jim DeMint and Mike Lee. He would propose cutting $500 billion from federal budget spending as one of his first legislative proposal.
In cutting the budget, Paul proposed cutting the Department of Defense as well as international aid (among other programs). This is a libertarian-inspired movement as most Republicans favor military spending.
Paul was also outspoken against the Patriot Act. He voted against extending “roving” wiretaps as well as “lone wolf” surveillance. The Patriot Act under George W. Bush had been wildly popular with Republicans upon its initial passage after 9/11. Again, Paul’s libertarian beliefs were behind this vote.
As a party of the Tea Party movement, Rand would join FreedomWorks, an advocacy group that filed a class-action lawsuit against the federal government. This lawsuit alleged that the government’s gathering of phone records is a violation of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution. Paul said regarding the lawsuit that he wasn’t personally against the NSA, or the government having access to phone records of suspected terrorists, but “I just want you to go to a judge, have an individual’s name and a warrant.” Critics called the lawsuit a political stunt, and the lawsuit was mired in controversy from the beginning.
Even today, Rand Paul speaks out against what he believes is frivolous spending or anything he feels violates Constitutional rights.
Rand has been outspoken multiple times regarding his beliefs of the American military being involved in the Middle East. He has spoken out on raising the debt ceiling, and he is critical of much energy spending.
In both 2013 and 2014, Rand Paul was recognized by Time Magazine as one of the world’s “100 Most Influential People.” Although Paul has been harassed due to his political beliefs, he remains true to those principles. He remains a Congressman who works to cut spending and work toward a balanced federal budget. Today, he is on a quest to get to the bottom of the source of the COVID-19 virus; often, this pits him against Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Chief Medical Adviser to the White House. Once again, armed with facts and other data, Paul has grilled Dr. Fauci multiple times to determine the origin of the virus as well as the possibility that the NIH provided funding for gain of function research in the Wuhan lab where COVID-19 is suspected to have originated.
Rand Paul may be criticized for his beliefs and for his doggedness, but he is a Senator with a heart for service. His unique position in Congress will forever be a part of his legacy.
