Every member of the Kentucky congressional delegation has signed on to a letter supporting Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s request for federal assistance after deadly tornadoes swept through the state starting Friday night – including Sen. Rand Paul.

Critics are pointing to Sen. Paul's past opposition to relief funding for other states pummeled by natural disasters.

What You Need To Know

  • Critics of Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul are pointing to his voting record in the wake of natural disaster

  • Paul previously voted against federal relief funding after hurricane disasters in 2012 and 2017

  • At least 88 people were killed — 74 of which from Kentucky — by tornadoes that swept across five states starting last Friday night

  • Paul's re-election fund will donate $100,000 to six charities working to offer relief in Kentucky

According to officials, at least 74 people were killed in Kentucky, and at least 88 were killed in total across five states.

“I think it’s sad that we haven’t even buried our dead and people are already doing partisan sniping," Paul told Spectrum News. "This is a time that Republicans and Democrats ought to come together."

Paul voted against relief funds in 2013, after various northeast states were hit by Hurricane Sandy, and in 2017, when Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico and Hurricane Harvey impacted communities in Texas and Louisiana.

He said he voted against disaster aid in those cases because the money was not included in the budget.

"We should do all we can to help our Kentucky neighbors. God be with them — they are hurting," California Rep. Eric Swalwell wrote on Twitter. "But do not for one second forget that @RandPaul has voted against helping most Americans most times they’re in need."

“What I’ve said is that when the money runs out, when the funds for disaster aid that are appropriated for the year, when we need more funds that we should take it from some place where it’s less needed,” Paul said. “Simply said that when we try to pay for it that we should pay for it by trying to eliminate waste elsewhere in the budget."

Paul was at his home in Kentucky when the swarm of powerful tornadoes began tearing across the state. He was able to get to the basement quickly, and is hearing stories from other Kentuckians about their race for shelter, too.

“One family that lives in a small community between Bowling Green and Russellville, who heard the alarms, didn’t have a basement and fled across the street to their neighbor’s basement,” Paul said. That family’s home was destroyed in the storm, he added, and running to the shelter saved them.

Paul has spent time surveying the damage in the Bowling Green area. He says he has been “very impressed” by the way Kentuckians are coming together after the storms hit.

Paul's re-election campaign announced it will donate $100,000 to local charities engaged in tornado relief efforts.

“Hopefully that money will very quickly get into charities that can give it to people for lodging, for housing,” Paul said. “Some people lost everything. They don’t have a toothbrush. They don’t have toothpaste. They don’t have all the things that we have gathered around us that we sort of expect each day.”

The funds donated by his campaign will be spread across six groups that are helping with on the ground efforts: the Mayfield Graves County Tornado Relief Fund; Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief; Relevant Church, based in Paducah; Redemption City Church in Dawson Springs; HOTEL INC, in Warren County; and The United Way of Southern Kentucky will all receive portions of his re-election campaign’s donation.

Paul plans to travel to Western Kentucky on Friday to continue to look for ways to assist with the recovery efforts. President Joe Biden is also set to visit the state on Wednesday.