'Rand's Not Gonna Vote for Anything, Ever': Republican Senator Says Paul Is a Hard 'No' on GOP Bill

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: MEDIAite

May 27th, 2025, 5:05 pm


Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) offered a blunt assessment of Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-KY) position on the Republican spending bill currently being considered by the Senate.

Last week, the House narrowly passed a major spending bill that would extend the 2017 tax cuts while cutting Medicaid to help offset some of the costs. Still, the Congressional Budget Office said if enacted, the legislation will result in an “increase in the federal deficit of $3.8 trillion attributable to tax changes, including extending provisions of the 2017 tax act.”

That figure is a nonstarter for Paul, a longtime deficit hawk who has railed against the bill. Kennedy appeared on Tuesday’s Kudlow on Fox Business, where he was asked to give an update on where matters stand.

“We’ll end up passing something. I don’t know what that something will look like,” Kennedy said. “We do need to work towards spending less in this bill.”

Read more: https://www.mediaite.com/media/tv/rands-not-gonna-vote-for-anything-ever-republican-senator-says-paul-is-a-hard-no-on-gop-bill/

[BoRaGard]

1. He's going to choose America over G.O.P. MAGATism?

OK. That would be nice.

[Wiz Imp]

4. No. His no is because the bill doesn't cut spending enough.

He wants the bill to be EVEN MORE CRUEL AND HEARTLESS! He knows he can do this and stick tohis guns because they can still pass the bill without him. The question remains as to what changes will be made to get the votes of people who are at least somewhat concerned about the Medicaid cuts.

[BoRaGard]

5. Ahhhh so. Thanks wiz.

[Javaman]

2. until he says yes.

they just have to match the price he's asking.

rand knows a good grift when he sees it. and he's going to milk it for all it's worth.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. He won't have to

He can be the "fall guy" along with Concerned Susan and Murkowski, so they would only need to bring Vance in to break a tie.

IOW, always-lying blabbermouth Ron Johnson will go right along with it.

[Wiz Imp]

6. No way. Collins & Murkowski (along with others) problems with the bill are completely different than

Paul's & Johnson's. Changes will be made to the bill to get the votes of Collins, Murkowski and others (that can probably be done with relatively small tweaks). Paul and Johnson will NOT vote for the final bill - whatever it ends up looking like. They would only vote for it if there were significant additional spending cuts which would lose the votes of several more Republicans because even they are smart enough to know it would be political suicide.

[PSPS]

7. You're trying to ascribe logic when it's just craven self interest

All these people care about is staying in office. The same people will always threaten a "no" and maybe even vote "no" but only because they know it won't matter. This is how republicans keep their seats in purple districts and states.

[Wiz Imp]

8. I'm saying Paul & Johnson will vote NO because they know it won't matter.

They are the only 2 speaking out about the bill increasing the deficit too much and opposing the debt limit increase. The 2 of them alone can't prevent the bill from passing so they know they can stick to their so-called "principles" and not endanger a bill ultimately passing. While several others have expressed issues with the, none of them have been extremely loud about it. So it will be much easier to likely make some relatively minor tweaks to the bill to get everyone else on board, than to try to appease Paul & Johnson.

[Bayard]

10. He also knows how many people in this state are on Medicaid,

And worried about Medicare/Social Security.

[PSPS]

11. That doesn't matter to him. He knows he'll get primaried out of a job. That's all that matters.

If trump says vote for this other guy (in the primary,) maga will do that and he won't even get to a general election.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. Johnson IS a MAGat

and will eventually "do as he's told", just like Lindsey Graham.

Paul, Collins, and Murkowski have ALWAYS "gone their own ways" (John McCain used to call it "being a maverick" ) with controversial stuff like this.

The difference here would be what VERSION of the bill is offered and if Thune sees that there are more than 3 opposed to the House's version, then they will CHANGE that bill to at least have no more than 3 oppose it, and go with that.

They would then need to eventually create some kind of "Joint Conference Committee" between the 2 chambers to reconcile the thing between the 2 Chambers.

[Polybius]

12. He won't vote Yes

He voted against the last spending bill too.

[Javaman]

13. maybe, I don't trust any of them, especially Paul nt