TAMPA, Fla. -- Sen. Rand Paul's biggest applause during his Wednesday evening speech at the Republican National Convention came from a line about protecting civil liberties, suggesting a heavy presence of libertarian-leaning supporters, including those of his father, Ron Paul.
"To thrive we must believe in ourselves again, and we must never -- never -- trade our liberty for any fleeting promise of security," the Kentucky senator said to thunderous applause.
Much like his father, the Texas congressman and former presidential candidate, Rand Paul has been a vocal advocate against security measures that compromise civil rights and freedoms, reflecting the views of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Paul, one of the most conservative senators, voted against the National Defense Authorization Act and spoke out against a controversial provision to let the military detain suspected terrorists on American soil and hold them indefinitely without trial.
After the Senate voted to keep that provision intact in November, Paul said he was "very, very concerned" about sending U.S. citizens to Guantanamo Bay for indefinite detention.
"It's not enough just to be alleged to be a terrorist," Paul said at the time. "That's part of what due process is -- deciding, are you a terrorist? I think it's important that we not allow U.S. citizens to be taken."
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