“Unlike any other candidate out there, he has a youth base already in place, both from his father and from the Young Americans for Liberty network,” Frazee went on. “We’ve been able to organize, train, and provide opportunities for our membership and our chapters, and I think that will provide a boost for him not only with youth turnout but volunteers and participation at rallies and events.”

The group of Paul supporters who showed up to Ted Cruz’s campaign launch at Liberty University wearing “Stand with Rand” t-shirts, for instance, was led by Eli McGowan, the president of YAL’s chapter there.

As Paul prepares for 2016, one senior adviser pointed out that, in Iowa, he’ll have an edge that his father didn’t have in 2012: Colleges will actually be in session. In 2012, the rush of states trying to jump the nominating line pushed the Iowa caucuses all the way to January 3, meaning most students were gone for winter break. The 2016 caucuses, in contrast, are tentatively scheduled for early February.

But even with the campus bump, Rand Paul’s challenge will be to turn young people out on a scale that Ron Paul couldn’t.