(CNN) -- A few weeks ago, Time Magazine ran its now-famous cover: "The Republican Savior: How Marco Rubio became the new voice of the GOP." Only time will tell if the junior senator from Florida lives up to that billing, and it's entirely possible that Time will be proven wrong in the coming months and years. But there's one cover that the magazine could run now and be entirely confident in: "The Republican Messenger: How Rand Paul became the real voice of the GOP." That's right. At least for the time being, tea party darling Sen. Rand Paul is the effective leader of the Republican Party. And that's a pretty big deal.
@highlight
Mo Elleithee says the week highlighted split in the GOP
@highlight
He says Rand Paul is getting his message out better than Rubio, Ryan, Cantor
@highlight
For GOP, danger is that he Paul could push 2016 further to the right, he says
@highlight
Elleithee: Paul combined old tool of filibuster with new media to make his point
And he is effectively driving the entire @placeholder message right now.