If you want to know what I really think about my son, +Rand Paul 2016​​, then don't listen to our national media.

Don't listen to the Big Government Washington insiders who'd love nothing more than another Bush/Clinton showdown in November of 2016.

Let me be clear...

There is not one candidate who has run for president in my lifetime who can say they fully share my commitment to liberty, Austrian economics, small government, and following the Constitution, than my son, Rand Paul.

That's why I have wholeheartedly endorsed him.

And it's why I wanted to write to you today to personally urge you to sign your Pledge of Support for Rand.

I know the media likes to play this little game where they pit us, or certain views, against each other.

Don't fall for it. They're trying to manufacture storylines at liberty's expense. You've spent years seeing how the media treated me. They aren't my friends and they aren't yours.

So please don't waste your time or risk the massive gains you and I have made over the past eight years by suddenly believing Big Government apologists in our media are some sort of truth tellers.

Remember, truth is treason in the empire of lies. And nowhere is that more true than when it comes to Washington, D.C. and their media mouthpieces.

Even where Rand and I do have minor differences of opinion, I would take Rand's position over any of his opponents' in both parties every time.

That's because he advocates diplomacy and negotiations, and opposes war.

And Rand is the ONLY one in the race who is standing up for your Liberty, across the board.

You certainly saw a great example of that in the first debate. Chris Christie tried to trample all over your rights in a false attack.

Rand stopped him cold.

And it's nothing new for Rand. Whether it's filibustering to stop drones or the Patriot Act, or introducing the Fourth Amendment Protection Act, no one has fought harder for your rights than Rand.

And that's why, since the moment he announced his candidacy for President of the United States, our national media and the Big Government establishment has gone all-out to smear him or silence him.

They push other Big Government Republicans as "frontrunners" while ignoring polls showing Rand leading Hillary Clinton in key presidential Battleground States.

They make sure he gets the least amount of time in a national debate (that sounds familiar).

They hype other candidates' easy access to Wall Street fat cats who leech off Big Government while ignoring the growing army of small donors Rand is building nationwide.

That's because they fear Rand more than any other candidate. They know he is our best hope to restore liberty, limited government and the Bill of Rights and finally end the big spending status quo in Washington, D.C.

Rand stood on the Senate floor for ten-and-a-half hours to force the Patriot Act to expire. Rand's stamina and determination called the nation's attention to President Obama's illegal and unconstitutional phone records collection. In the Senate, there is no greater champion of the Fourth Amendment and no one as fearless in staring down the establishment, Republican or Democrat.

It was his action, and his alone, that forced the NSA's bulk metadata collection programs to expire under Section 215 of the "PATRIOT Act." Not only that, but he continued to stand strongly against Washington, D.C.'s "Plan B" scheme, the misnamed "USA FREEDOM Act";

When President Obama was insisting on arming the Islamic rebels in Syria and bombing Assad, Rand stood firm and challenged the President. He even took to Fox News' TV airwaves in a live national address to counter President Obama's attempt to "gin up" war fever, infuriating Big Government Republicans like Karl Rove!

And don't forget Rand's first filibuster exposing the Obama administration's lawless use of drones, earning attacks from U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and "wacko bird" name-calling from Senator John McCain. His historic 13-hour filibuster galvanized the American people unlike anything you and I have ever seen!

He's also THE most stalwart opponent of the Federal Reserve in the Senate. He's fought against ObamaCare every step of the way. He's introduced budgets to slash spending and dig us out of our $18.3 TRILLION debt.

He will keep our country out of senseless foreign wars that cost so many lives and bleed our treasury dry. He's not afraid to lay the blame for making worse the chaos we see today with ISIS and Iraq squarely at the feet of the neocons.

And he's proven he's unafraid to stand up to anyone in Washington when the times call for it – even the leadership of his own party.

Rand stands ready to lead, and to win. He has my full support. I ask that he also have yours.

The truth is, Rand needs our grassroots army of liberty lovers more than ever.

The national media and the establishment of both parties would love nothing more than to drive a stake through the heart of our Liberty Movement and stop Rand at all costs.

They're going all-out to destroy him just like they tried to destroy me. And if they succeed, they'll go on to even more spending, spying, welfare and warfare in Washington, D.C.

I was able to weather the media's viciousness because I had patriots like you at my side. Because good folks like you stood with me, the Washington Machine failed. Our Liberty Movement continues to grow.

Now, my son Rand needs us in his corner. I'm answering the call. I'm proud to say #IStandwithRand.