Gage Skidmore via Flickr <\/p>\n
The hire is already being heralded as a shrewd move by McConnell, who appears to have seen the writing on the wall after Paul's son, Rand Paul, rode the Tea Party wave to defeat the McConnell-backed Establishment candidate in Kentucky's 2010 Senate primary. <\/p>\n
Benton, who ran Sen. Paul's 2010 campaign and is married to one of Ron Paul's granddaughters, is the consummate Paul insider, with deep ties to Kentucky's Tea Party movement. His presence on McConnell's staff virtually guarantees that the Senate Minority leader won't face a challenge from the right in 2014 or a challenge to his leadership in the Senate should the Tea Party's influence there continue to grow. <\/p>\n
But Benton is also a controversial figure in the Paul Universe, where the management of the Paul campaign is a topic of endless debate. His decision to take a job deep within the heart of the GOP is likely to raise the ire of some of Paul's most active supporters, confirming long-held suspicions that the Texas Congressman's campaign aides sold him out to the Republican Party Establishment. <\/p>\n
But Benton doesn't see it that why. In his first interview since taking the job with McConnell, Benton told Business Insider why he decided to take the job with McConnell, and why he doesn't think he's selling out all. <\/p>\n
Below is the lightly-edited transcript of our interview: <\/p>\n
BI: Senator McConnell isn't up for re-election for another two years, and he doesn't even have a Democratic opponent yet. Why take this position now? Do you anticipate a primary challenge? <\/p>\n
Jesse Benton: No, we're not anticipating a primary challenge. But we expect him to be the biggest target for the national Democrats. It's sort of become a right of passage that the Senate leadership becomes a huge target. We saw it with [former South Dakota Sen.] Tom Daschle, [Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid, and so on and so forth. We think that Sen. McConnell is going to have a big target on his back, but we're going to be ready. We're going to run a heckuva campaign. <\/p>\n
BI: You ran Sen. Rand Paul's campaign in Kentucky in 2010, and Sen. McConnell endorsed his primary opponent. What's changed since then? <\/p>\n
Benton: What changed was a friendship that we cultivated, both Rand and Senator McConnell and our teams cultivated in the [2010] general election. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
More: <\/p>\n
Why Ron Paul's Campaign Manager Is Now Taking A Job With The GOP Establishment<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Gage Skidmore via Flickr The hire is already being heralded as a shrewd move by McConnell, who appears to have seen the writing on the wall after Paul's son, Rand Paul, rode the Tea Party wave to defeat the McConnell-backed Establishment candidate in Kentucky's 2010 Senate primary. Continue reading