Would a Libertarian Challenge Hurt Rand?

Some thoughts from Allahpundit via Hot Air on whether it will matter if the Kentucky Libertarian Party runs a candidate against Rand Paul on the grounds that he is not pure enough for them:

I’m intrigued by the fact that they think he’s on the level about Iraq and Afghanistan. I’ve always assumed that was Paul’s version of Obama’s lie about his supposed opposition to gay marriage, which the left has the good sense to indulge in the name of electability. Seriously, it just so happens that Rand Paul, novice candidate, has sharply different views from his old man in the one area that made Ron Paul electoral poison to so many conservatives in 2008? C’mon. Anyway, the filing deadline’s August 10. The question: Is a party that struggles to crack two percent of the vote in a general election really a threat to Rand Paul in Kentucky? It’s hard to imagine Conway winning 49/48/3, as most purist libertarians will probably hold their nose and vote Paul if the race is that close in the end. But I guess if the purists can get the meme going that he’s a phony, maybe enough people stay home or refuse to donate that it really does end up hurting him. Quick, Rand: Condemn the Civil Rights Act before it’s too late!

So the members of the Libertarian Party are going to hold their nose and vote for Rand. He's counting on Trey Grayson backers to hold our noses and vote for him (though you wouldn't know it from his victory speech). That's a lot of nose-holding. And it still leaves the Democrats with voter registration advantage of 600,000.