A big stash of campaign cash in marijuana for Paul

With weak polling and lackluster fundraising, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is struggling to stay in the 2016 presidential race. So far, some of his strongest financial supporters have come from a new, growing industry: legal marijuana.

As of Sept. 30, Paul’s second-biggest contributor is the National Cannabis Industry Association, a D.C.-based trade group that lobbies Congress on behalf of state-legal marijuana businesses. Since it was founded in the later part of 2010, the association has spent $200,000 on lobbying.

In all, NCIA is the source of $12,000 to Paul’s campaign, including $10,000 from the organization’s PAC. Its executive director, Aaron Smith, donated $1,500 to the candidate, who leans libertarian. Michael Correia, the group’s lobbyist, gave $500 to Paul as well.

Paul held a fundraiser during an NCIA summit on June 30, becoming the first major presidential candidate to ever court donations from the marijuana industry. The cost...

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