Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul sits down for an interview alongside      Utah Sen. Mike Lee following a fundraiser event at the Alta      Club in Salt Lake City on Monday, March 17, 2014.    
      Matt Gade, Deseret News    
    SALT LAKE CITY  Fresh from besting a crowd of potential    candidates for president in a national poll, Rand Paul says he    wants to grow the Republican Party big enough to win    presidential elections again whether he runs or not.  
    "We need to welcome new members. We need more African-American    members, more Hispanic members, more Jewish-American members,    more Asian-American members," the Kentucky senator said in an    interview Monday.  
    Paul spent the weekend snowboarding with his family in Park    City and attended a fundraising breakfast for Sen. Mike Lee,    R-Utah, at the Alta Club.  
    On Sunday, Paul did something that his father, Ron Paul, never    did: top a list of possible GOP presidential candidates in a    national poll.  
    A new CNN/ORC International survey showed 16 percent of    Republicans and independents who lean toward the GOP say they    would likely support Paul for the 2016 nomination.  
    Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., Mitt Romney's 2014 running mate,    garnered 15 percent, while Texas Gov. Rick Perry had 11    percent. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was the one other    potential candidate to reach double digits in the poll that    included Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie    and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.  
    "I dont know if it's good luck or bad luck. It's still pretty    early and I think it's better than not showing up in the poll,"    Paul said. He's not sure the showing makes any difference now    but said it gives him the chance to talk about changing the    party.  
    Kirk Jowers, head of the University of Utah's Hinckley    Institute of Politics, agrees the GOP needs to reshape its    message, noting Romney lost in 2012 primarily on social issues    that attract women, minority and young voters.  
Originally posted here:
Rand Paul talks 2016 presidential race during Utah trip