See the Strong Message Rand Paul Says His Supporters Are Sending the Media After Excluding Him From Tonight's GOP Debate

Republican presidential candidate Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.), who is known for his brash style on the campaign trail, didn't hold back when asked about his plans to skip the Fox Business GOP undercard debate Thursday night.

"I think to be artificially designated in some kind of lower or second tier sends a signal to the voter that you're not the same and don't have a chance," Paul told ABC News Radio's Aaron Katersky. "It's a big field. If you're in the second tier of a 12-person race, it really is sending the wrong message to the voters."

But the Kentucky senator, who will be hosting an online town hall during the time of the debate, used more than words to get his message across.

"Your supporters, from what you're hearing from them, do they back you in this?" Katersky asked.

"99 percent of our supporters are calling and saying, for the media, 'That's where you can go,'" Paul said, while waving his middle finger at the reporter.

Katersky, who laughed at the gesture, told Paul he didn't take it personally. "Not you, of course," Paul clarified with a chuckle.

According to the latest polling data out of Iowa, Paul is at 5 percent in the state, which will hold its first-in-the-nation caucus Feb. 1.

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