Rand Paul Asked About Military Coup Conspiracy Theory

As Rick Santorum found out earlier this year in Charleston, GOP presidential hopefuls should get ready to field questions about bizarre conspiracy theories, not just from activists but also influential conservative talk show hosts in early primary and caucus states like Iowa.

For example, Iowa-based radio host Jan Mickelson asked Sen. Rand Paul to respond yesterday to a burgeoning far-right conspiracy theory surrounding a military training exercise known as Jade Helm 15, which some on the far-right believe will lead to martial law.

Paul told Mickelson that he had only heard of Jade Helm in passing and would look into it.

But Mickelson implied that the issue would not be going away for Paul and his fellow GOP candidates. Saying that he “gets emails about this every day,” Mickelson told the senator, “It’s making some people nervous, but it doesn’t take much to make people nervous nowadays.”