Kentucky GOP votes to let Rand Paul run for his Senate seat in 2016 in case that President thing doesn't work out

GOP presidential candidate Rand Paul on Saturday convinced Kentucky Republicans to allow him to run for reelection to his Senate seat while running for president, in case the latter doesn't go his way.

Poll numbers show Paul is far behind in the contest to win his party's nomination, polling at 4.3%, behind Carly Fiorina, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Scott Walker, Ben Carson, Jeb Bush and Donald Trump, the current front runner, according to Real Clear Politics.

The Washington Post reports the process of getting Kentucky's first presidential caucus together was rough, following Rand's less-than-stellar summer of campaigning.

"I applaud the Republican Party of Kentucky on their decision to hold a caucus in the upcoming Republican presidential cycle," Paul said in a statement, according to the Post. "The people of Kentucky deserve a voice as the GOP chooses their next nominee, and holding a caucus will ensure that Kentucky is relevant and participates early in the process."

Paul personally attended the vote to lobby for the ability to run for president without jeopardizing his simultaneous campaign for Senate reelection, the Post reports.

In the end, Kentucky's GOP central committee voted overwhelmingly to move from a primary to caucus system. This allows Paul to get around state laws forbidding candidates from appearing twice on the same ballot, Politico reports. Paul has promised to fund the caucuses, which could run him a $500,000-plus price tag.

The Post reports Paul's campaign for president thus far has been rocky. In August, the heads of his super PAC were indicted on bribery charges, and his performance in the first GOP debate didn't improve his numbers.