Three Republican ‘colonels’ plot their coup

Grass-roots funding will fuel Mr Paul’s presidential campaign, as it did, external two successive races by his father, Ron Paul, in 2008 and 2012. Mr Rubio and Mr Cruz will reap the rewards of deep-pocketed benefactors.

The Florida senator, for instance, has support, external – to the tune of $10m – from auto magnate Norman Braman, the former owner of the Philadelphia Eagles American football franchise. Mr Cruz already has the backing, external of hedge fund billionaire Robert Mercer, who is reportedly helping to pour upwards of $31m into PACs supporting the Texan.

The presence of the three senators in the presidential field does present some challenges for Republican activists who have spent the better part of eight years deriding what they see as Mr Obama’s thin pre-presidential resume, however.

“Republicans have said the nation made a mistake electing a one-term senator the president of the United States,” Erick Erickson of RedState blog hypothetically asks, external the three candidates. “Why should you, a one-term senator, be the GOP’s nominee?”

It’s a line of attack some other prospective Republican candidates are picking up on.

“I don’t believe we’ve done well with the experiment of a one-term senator being president of the United States,” New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said, external in a television interview on Thursday.

For the moment, however, Mr Cruz and Mr Paul are faring significantly better, external than Mr Christie in Republican opinion polls, particularly in key early voting states – and Mr Rubio has a cache of favourable opinion that may be translating into a surge in support, external.

If Republican voters have a problem with the presidential aspirations of youthful senators, they haven’t expressed it yet.

Establishment “generals” like former Florida Governor Jeb Bush still have the upper hand in terms of political support and financial backing. But as the three senators demonstrated when they made their upstart entrance on the national stage, status and power can hide vulnerability.

That’s why coups work.

Republicans in (and out) of the presidential race