DES MOINES — When Ron Paul ran for president in 2008 and 2012, his rallies were decidedly unpretentious affairs, appropriately suited to the scrappy outsider nature of his campaign.
His son is trying things a little differently.
Senator Rand Paul, eager to shake off a bruising week, came to Iowa over the weekend for a test run of his increasingly likely bid for the Republican nomination in 2016. First, he met privately with the chairman of the state Republican Party. Then he headlined an “Audit the Fed” event at a stylish wine bar and vineyard just outside downtown.
“I didn’t know Iowa had a winery,” Mr. Paul, of Kentucky, would later say.
The crowd of about 150, many of them young professionals still in jackets and ties from work, snacked on minicupcakes and drank craft India pale ale and seyval blanc that was aged in barrels on the premises.
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As he sat at a small table in his Washington office last week, Mr. Paul contemplated the issue of temperament and said he believes it is a crucial factor in selecting a president.
“You have this enormous responsibility of being not rash, not overly emotional, not quick to anger,” he said.
But Mr. Paul was not talking about himself. Changing the subject to the other possible presidential contenders and whether he would want any of them as commander in chief, the senator said, “I think that’s really what disqualifies some of the people out there.”
A version of this article appears in print on February 9, 2015, on page A9 of the New York edition with the headline: Paul Seeks Middle (Sorry, Dad). Order Reprints| Today’s Paper|Subscribe
