Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)
He's put down
the actual chainsaw for now, but Rand Paul has found his latest way to try to regain the attention and affection from Republican primary voters that has slipped away from him of late. He's attempting to take a metaphorical chainsaw to women's health care. The Kentucky senator says he's secured
a vote on defunding Planned Parenthood before the Senate leaves for recess.
Any such vote would be largely symbolic, since Senate Democrats are extremely unlikely to let it through and President Obama is equally unlikely to sign a bill defunding family planning, sexually transmitted infection screening and treatment, and cancer screening, but:
Paul, R-Ky., said that win or lose, simply having the vote will be "a huge victory for conservatives" opposed to abortion.
Psst ... it's a Republican-controlled Senate. Getting a vote on a Republican hobby horse is not some giant shock. The House has no plans to take up such a bill before going to recess, but Rand Paul is not looking to pass anything. He's looking to be first to the prize of getting to tell Republican primary voters he attacked Planned Parenthood, and he's especially looking to get that done before the first debate rolls around next week. It's all about the posturing with him.