Rand Paul announces 2016 White House bid

Senator Rand Paul has announced he is launching a 2016 presidential election campaign on the Republican ticket.

"Today begins the journey to take America back," he said in a campaign event in Kentucky.
Mr Paul, a Kentucky senator, stands out from the Republican pack because of his comparatively libertarian views.

He becomes the second Republican to enter the contest that concludes in November 2016.
Speaking in front of a large crowd at the official campaign kick-off, he said: "The Washington machine that gobbles up our freedoms and invades every nook and cranny of our lives must be stopped."
A first-term senator hailing from one of the country's most well-known libertarian families, Mr Paul first held elected office when he rode a wave of Tea Party popularity to the US senate in 2010.
Once there, he soon drew attention when he spoke for more than 12 hours in protest about President Barack Obama's drone policy and the nomination of John Brennan to lead the CIA.