LEXINGTON — Republican Senate candidate Rand Paul Monday got a boost from the man he defeated in the Republican primary and said he is the most “pro-business” candidate in the United States.

The Bowling Green eye doctor faces Democrat Attorney General Jack Conway in the election to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Jim Bunning. He showed up at the Republican Victory Headquarters where Secretary of State Trey Grayson, who lost to Paul by 23 points in the primary, said Paul is the best choice for Republicans.

“For Republicans who care about the deficit, who care about health care, who care about energy, who care about a whole host of issues, Rand’s the much better choice,” Grayson said.

Paul told the crowd Republicans “have done a much better job of unifying the party” than Democrats. “Look at the difference between Trey’s support and the tepid support on the other side from the lieutenant governor.” Paul referred to Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo who lost to Conway in the Democratic primary but gave Conway less than a hearty endorsement by saying he is endorsing the entire Democratic ticket.

Paul met earlier Monday with representatives of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and said he supports charter schools and, “I’m also in favor of school choice. Leave the money with the parents in the form of vouchers.”

Paul appeared to be taking advantage of public unhappiness with a student assignment plan in Jefferson County, an area where Conway is expected to have an advantage. He said many children must ride the bus for up to three hours and no one is happy – including families in the African American west end of Louisville.

That issue has come to the fore in the Louisville Mayor’s race and Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, who is running for governor next year, has introduced a bill to allow parents to enroll children in the nearest “neighborhood school.”

“The people who are most unhappy with it are people in the minority community whose kids are being bused two to three hours a day,” Paul told David Adkisson, President of the state chamber during a round table discussion which the chamber intends to broadcast online.

At both the chamber and later in Lexington, Paul said he is pro-business but doesn’t support corporate welfare.

“I think there’s no more pro-business person running for office in the country,” Paul said when he talked about trade policy. But he added of business leaders: “I don’t want my tax dollars going to fly them around to look for business deals.”

He said Medicaid should be for “those who cannot help themselves. Those who have devastating illness and cannot take care of themselves. But a young guy who looks like me and jumps out of his pickup truck should not be hanging a handicapped sign and should not be asking for government help when they’re young and able.”

He said again he understands no one is opposing Kentucky Sen. McConnell for re-election as Republican Senate Leader and “I support Sen. McConnell and I think he’ll be the next Leader. I think there’s an even odds chance he’ll be the next Majority Leader.”

Paul said it’s inaccurate to say he doesn’t believe in any federal government. “I believe in $2.4 trillion worth. We could balance our budget if we only spent $2.4 trillion.” He said government has grown too large and he’d like to see the balance shifted back to the local government level.

Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort, Ky. He may be contacted by email at rellis@cnhi.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cnhifrankfort.