Priebus downplays Rand Paul criticism

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Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus downplayed criticism from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) about the GOP’s brand, saying the two men are “close” and that the party is “on the right track.”

Paul made headlines last week for saying that the GOP brand “sucks” and need an overhaul.

Speaking on ABC’s “This Week,” Priebus said he agreed that the party needs to improve its outreach to women and minority voters.

“I’m very close with Rand,” Priebus said. “What he said is that we’re actually on the right track … and we’re doing a lot of the things we should be doing” to court voters who typically lean toward Democrats.

Paul told The Hill last week that Republicans have done a poor job reaching out to black voters.

“Remember Domino’s Pizza? They admitted, ‘Hey, our pizza crust sucks.’ The Republican Party brand sucks and so people don’t want to be a Republican and for 80 years, African-Americans have had nothing to do with Republicans,” Paul said.

The Kentucky senator made the comment at a GOP field office in the predominately black Detroit neighborhood of Sherwood Forest, an outpost that Priebus said the RNC funds.

“Rand Paul is saying what I’ve been saying, which is we have spent way too long as a national party showing up at the end, and we’ve got to do better,” Priebus said Sunday.