WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - Dr. Rand Paul's primary victory over the GOP machine pick (and Kentucky Secretary of State) Trey Grayson is a stunning victory for grass roots Americans, a tremendous victory for the pro-life movement, and a stunning blow to the Republican establishment.

Dr. Paul's triumph is a political nightmare for the GOP. They want the momentum, money, manpower and votes of the "Tea Party" activists and other angry voters.  But they tremble over candidates like Dr. Paul who are actually principled when it comes to fiscal liberty, ending socialism in America, defending Christian Marriage, and outlawing all child killing by abortion from conception until birth.

This is a huge quagmire for Republican Leaders. If old-line party leaders - many of whom are trying to co-opt the "Tea Party" for run of the mill GOP candidates, (whether pro-life, pro-family, or not) - speak against Paul, they will face an angry mob, and their influence in the Tea Party movement will be over.

If the national party "distances itself" from Paul, they will further enrage a base that is quickly becoming unruly and uncontrollable by party leaders. It will cause the base to withhold funds and man-hours from the party apparatus.

If the GOP embraces Dr. Paul, his economic policies and true commitment to the pro-life cause and economic liberty will show that the GOP is incoherent in principle and policy. Far too often, its candidates and office holders are big government socialists, tacit supporters of child-killing (who when needed use "pro-life" words to seduce pro-life voters), heralds for corporate interests and foreign regimes, etc.

It is my conviction that the GOP would be delighted to have Scott Brown of Massachusetts as their prototype for a political superhero. He is pro-abortion, a man without a clear ethical compass, and he will put Party ahead of Principle when told to by party bosses.

They will even tolerate someone like Arizona Senator Jon Kyl, who talked a lot of political smack - saying he would filibuster a Obama Supreme Court nominee if the person is too ideological - who then tucked his tail and ran from the actual battle now that ultra left winger Elana Kagan is the nominee. His words seduce; his actions produce.nothing.

Rand Paul, by contrast, is the real article; a man guided by principle, not party; a man loyal to ethics, not party bosses. His pro-life position is flawless, and he will act on it courageously under fire, not run from it when it is politically expedient.

Simply put, he will not betray his pro-life principles and his ethical core for the sake of the Republican Party. That makes him a hero to us "common folk;" it makes him a danger to the elite.

Scott Brown's victory in Massachusetts was a vote against Washington DC Democrats; Dr. Paul's victory was a vote against the GOP establishment.

Herein lies the crisis brewing for GOP leaders: If Dr. Paul becomes the poster boy of Republican foot soldiers, those who rule the ivory tower will look as foolish as the naked emperor. They will be seen as phonies craving power, using empty rhetoric to reach their goals, especially "pro-life, pro-family" rhetoric.

What will the GOP do? Something Machiavellian, I proffer. And it will be ugly.

But their teeth gnashing and secret machinations will not matter. Kentucky is the perfect state for Paul's victory in November. Obama is very unpopular; pro-life and "tea party" activists are energized, and willing to sacrifice their time and money; and the Democrats have neither the message or the man to stop the Paul Juggernaut.

Paul will win in November, with or without the GOP machinery and its blessing.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if he inherited the Ronald Reagan populist mantle, and went on to win the White House? Wouldn't it be great if a populist pro-lifer was our President? Let us remember that Ronald Reagan was a man of principle who was strongly disliked by the GOP establishment...yet he became the most popular president of the last 60 years.

Run, Rand, run!

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Randall Terry is the Director of the Washington D.C. based Insurrecta Nex, and the host of the daily T.V. Show, Randall Terry: The Voice of Resistance! Mr. Terry Founded and led Operation Rescue, the largest peaceful civil disobedience movement in American history. Mr. Terry has been arrested nearly 50 times for peaceful protest against child-killing by abortion, and spent over 1 year of his life incarcerated. Randall and his wife Andrea have four small boys. Learn more at www.Terrycast.com and www.OverturnRoe.com.