Rand Paul will do his best to charm a group Mitt Romney’s top donors next week at an event facilitated by Romney finance director Spencer Zwick.
The Friday luncheon will take place in Boston at the offices of Zwick’s private-equity firm, Solamere Capital, according to a source familiar with the event. Romney’s eldest son Tagg is also a managing partner at the firm, and Romney is the executive chairman.
The event is yet another signal that Paul is preparing a for a serious presidential bid in 2016. Two years before the GOP primary, Paul is attempting to branch out beyond his libertarian-leaning base, and the ability to tap some of the establishment donors who helped Romney raise over $1 billion in 2012 will be critical to that effort.
A number of the GOP’s likely candidates, including Bobby Jindal, have also looked to Zwick to make these introductions. Presidential contenders frequently seek access to the donors of the party’s previous nominee, but getting an in with Romney’s top bundlers is particularly coveted because Romney, who opted out of the public financing system, was the first Republican to raise over $1 billion. Romney’s donors also have a reputation for loyalty, and Zwick’s willingness to make introductions is likely to mean a lot.
The Washington Post reported last month that Paul is in the process of building a national political network, with over 200 people in its ranks, that extends to all 50 states.