Members of The Republican Women’s Club of South Central KY meet at the Bowling Green Country Club on Wednesday, July 21, 2021, to present fellow member Kelley Paul, wife of Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Bowling Green, with the “Unbridled Spirit” award. (Grace Ramey/photo@bgdailynews.com)

The Republican Women’s Club of South Central KY presented fellow member Kelley Paul, wife of Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Bowling Green, with its Unbridled Spirit award Wednesday at Bowling Green Country Club.

The club’s chairwoman of events, Paula Hendrick, said the group wanted to showcase its support for Kelley Paul and her family during “trying times.”

In May, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office reported a suspicious package was sent to the Paul residence.

“I can’t believe that she is having to go through all of this,” Hendrick said. “I thought we needed to say that we stand behind her, and we support you (Kelley Paul). She is a Kentucky girl. I’m all for her. She is very inspiring because she doesn’t back down from her beliefs no matter how many times she is threatened.”

Kelley Paul said the award “meant a lot” and the club has been encouraging to her family.

“It’s wonderful to feel supported,” Kelley Paul said. “This is a great group of women, and they are very involved. They have always been there for Rand. It just feels good to be supported by your community – especially with all that Rand and I have been through.”

She also spoke about the recent confrontations Rand Paul had with Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, on Capitol Hill.

The two clashed Tuesday after Rand Paul alleged Fauci lied before Congress when he denied that the National Institutes of Health funded “gain of function” research – the practice of enhancing a virus in a lab to study its potential impact in the real world – at a Chinese lab.

“Senator Paul, you do not know what you’re talking about, quite frankly,” Fauci replied, according to The Associated Press. “And I want to say that officially. You do not know what you’re talking about. … ”

“Lately, he is in the news for challenging and asking questions of government bureaucrats and government authorities, which is something he believes in,” Kelley Paul said. “As American citizens, we should always challenge and always ask questions. And there are some people who don’t like that and don’t want to be challenged, and they try to frame it as ‘Oh, they are attacking someone’ and that’s not true at all.

“If you look at anything Rand has done over the last several months, it’s all about transparency,” she continued. “He wants the people of Kentucky to have as much information as they possibly can. And yes, it can translate into some really ugly vitriol headed in our direction.”