Rand Paul's Disruptive SXSW Adventure

The Kentucky senator among the techies.

Journalist Evan Smith (L) and U.S. Senator Rand Paul speak onstage at 'A Conversation With Senator Rand Paul' during the 2015 SXSW Music, Film + Interactive Festival at JW Marriott on March 15, 2015 in Austin, Texas.
Photographer: Gerry Hanan/Getty Images Entertainment

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By Lauren Etter and David Weigel

March 16, 2015 at 5:41 PM UTC

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AUSTIN, Texas–Kentucky Senator Rand Paul's weekend of partying and networking in at the annual South by Southwest festival ended in a suite at the Capital Factory complex. RANDPAC would be sharing an incubator space with start-ups like the self-explantory DemandFood and the just-as-intriguing Robots and Pencils. The new office overlooks the city from the 16th floor of a downtown high rise; inside, exposed ceilings and beanbag chairs round out the tech feel.

"People keep asking me: Why are you in Texas and not in New Hampshire?" said Paul. "Well, because I think if you want talent you've got to go to where the talent is." He sported blue jeans and brown cowboy boots–an axiomatic sartorial choice in the Lone Star state.