Presidential races

Grimes girds for legal fight with Paul

Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes (D) is promising to fight if Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) attempts to run for president while running for reelection, saying she believes it’s a clear violation of Kentucky state law barring people from running for two offices simultaneously.

{mosads}”The law is clear,” Grimes, who unsuccessfully challenged incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) last month, told WHAS11. “You can’t be on the ballot twice for two offices.”

The move, which was expected, could set up a court fight between Paul and state Democrats if he runs for both offices, as expected.

Kentucky Republicans had hoped to change the law, but Democrats unexpectedly held onto one chamber of the statehouse after the last election and are blocking that move.

Paul’s allies believe there are a number of potential workarounds — most likely by switching Kentucky’s GOP primary to a caucus, circumventing the law.