Paul clarified his views in a written statement Thursday, saying whatever concerns he may have had about parts of the Civil Rights Act, he has not — and has never — called for repealing it.

“Even though this matter was settled when I was 2, and no serious people are seeking to revisit it except to score cheap political points, I unequivocally state that I will not support any efforts to repeal the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” Paul, 47, said.

“Let me be clear: I support the Civil Rights Act because I overwhelmingly agree with the intent of the legislation, which was to stop discrimination in the public sphere and halt the abhorrent practice of segregation and Jim Crow laws,” he said.

Rand Paul Says He’s Being ‘Trashed Up and Down’ by ‘Democratic Talking Points’