CEDAR RAPIDS — GOP presidential candidate and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul was in Cedar Rapids on Thursday looking past the deep field of Republican contenders to the general election. Paul, 52, an ophthalmologist before taking office in 2011, is vying for the nomination among 16 announced or likely contenders. He said he stands the best chance to beat Democratic front-runner and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a head-to-head match up. “Everybody is consumed with the Republican primary in Iowa,” Paul said to a crowd of about 150 at the Cedar Rapids Public Library.