FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) -- Secretary of State Trey Grayson can oversee the U.S. Senate race in Kentucky without any conflict of interest.

The Executive Branch Ethics Commission reached that conclusion on Friday.

Grayson, who as secretary of state is Kentucky's chief elections official, is running as a Republican for U.S. Senate. One of his GOP rivals, Bowling Green physician Rand Paul, questioned whether Grayson should recuse himself from oversight of the Senate race.

Paul sent a letter to Grayson's Capitol office earlier this year asking him to recuse himself.

Paul and Grayson are among five Republicans seeking their party's nomination to run for the seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning.

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