Prior to serving in public office, Paul was an ophthalmologist in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and founded the watchdog group Kentucky Taxpayers United, which sought to keep state legislators accountable on tax issues. Leading up to his formal announcement, Paul delivered several high profile speeches, which included filibustering the nomination of CIA Director John Brennan, speeches at Berkeley and Howard University, and meeting with community leaders in Ferguson, Missouri and Detroit, Michigan, in what has been described as an attempt to broaden the Republican Party's appeal with non-traditional constituencies.