Tea Party favorite Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is headed to historically black Howard University in an attempt to make inroads with the young black community. On Wednesday, he’s slated to address students, where he will explain Republican outreach efforts to new groups, and talk specifically about school choice and civil liberties.
Paul’s libertarian credentials mean that he will likely discuss his opposition to many mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines. But he will likely be questioned about his position that the federal government has little role in forcing private business into non-discrimination.
The last major Republican to hit Howard University was Colin Powell in 1994, long before Powell’s shift into the Barack Obama political camp. This makes Paul’s second major address to a minority audience since the election; back in March, he spoke to the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce about immigration.