Paul was recognized by the Bowhay Institute of Legislative Leadership Development as one of its 2018 legislative fellows. He was also instrumental in the work of the 2018 Higher Education Working Group which made critical changes to the Illinois system of financial assistance to college students, turning the Monetary Award Program (MAP) into a four year program and creating the Aspirational Institutional Match Helping Illinois Grow Higher Education (AIM HIGH) Scholarship Program. Paul also kept his promises to his constituents by voting against tax increases and unbalanced budgets in 2017, 2019, and 2020.
Because he was President Trump's top choice to fill a federal judge vacancy, Paul did not run for re-election to the Illinois Senate, stating, "voters deserve candidates who are committed to serving in the office they are running for." Unfortunately, Senator Dick Durbin refused to allow Paul's federal judge nomination to move forward. Paul announced his candidacy for Governor of the State of Illinois in February 2021. Unable to secure the backing of a billionaire, Paul lost in the Republican Governor Primary in June of 2022.
Paul is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Illinois Farm Bureau, the National Rifle Association, and Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Parish. He resides in Monroe County with his wife Lori and their two sons, Ethan and Garrett.