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Tuesday, May 18, 2010 5:30 PM UTC

Rand Paul supporters accused of voter intimidation, ACORN soon to be blamed

With reports from Kentucky of electioneering and harassment, the Paul campaign suggests Democrats are responsible

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Topics: Rand Paul, War Room, 2010 Elections, Rand Paul vs. Trey Grayson,

Rand Paul supporters accused of voter intimidation, ACORN soon to be blamedRepublican U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul talks to supporters in Bowling Green, Ky. Monday, May 17, 2010. Paul faces fellow Republican Trey Grayson in Tuesday's primary election. (AP Photo/Bowling Green Daily News, Joe Imel)(Credit: AP)

In Kentucky, where Rand Paul is expected to beat Trey Grayson in today’s Republican U.S. Senate primary, accusations of voter intimidation, polling place electioneering, and vote-buying are already being thrown around. Most of them seem to involve representatives and supporters of Paul.

In Laurel County, someone claiming to represent the Paul campaign asked to “inspect” voting machines after polls opened. In Jackson County, there are reports that Paul supporters were harassing people who didn’t say they voted for Paul.

Paul’s opponent Grayson is the Kentucky secretary of state, so statements from his office might be slightly biased. Paul’s campaigns denies engaging in electioneering or intimidation.

David Adams, Paul’s campaign manager, said that he is “dubious at this point” about the allegations.

“We’re not sending anybody to cause problems at polling places,” Adams said.

But he said outsiders could be playing a role.

“We had a tip over the weekend that some of our volunteer activities have been infiltrated by (national) Democratic operatives planning to cause problems,” Adams said. “Hopefully, the secretary of state’s office will conduct themselves they way that they’re supposed to and we’ll get through this to a good conclusion.”

I don’t think the Paul campaign would specifically direct anyone to disrupt polling places, but blaming Democratic operatives? Really, Rand Paul campaign? What’s in it for them, exactly? Supporters of Rand’s father, Ron, are known to be fairly enthusiastic. Is it really so hard to believe that Paultards are taking it upon themselves to harass people? They’re all Internet comment trolls, they love nothing more than yelling at strangers for having the wrong opinions.

Alex Pareene

Alex Pareene writes about politics for Salon and is the author of "The Rude Guide to Mitt." Email him at apareene@salon.com and follow him on Twitter @pareene More Alex Pareene.

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Rand Paul is a U.S. Senator from Kentucky.

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