Todd Spangler

Detroit Free Press

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul urged Oakland County Republicans to embrace policies that would show urban Detroiters that the party cares about them — both as way to draw traditionally Democratic votes and to turn around the economic fortunes of Michigan's largest city.

Paul, a Kentucky Republican who is a likely candidate for president in 2016, told more than 700 people at the Oakland County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner that his proposal to cut federal taxes and regulations in ZIP codes with high unemployment can create jobs in Detroit and elsewhere.

"You need votes in Detroit," Paul said. "We need to go into Detroit and say 'We want to help, and we care. We just have a different way of doing it than the Democrats do."

"If we show up in communities where we haven't been showing up ... we're going to win votes like we've never won before," he said, adding it's not just about getting votes but is "the right thing to do."

Paul's speech was part of an event at the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester less than a week before Tuesday's election, with Republicans clamoring to re-elect Gov. Rick Snyder and state Attorney General Bill Schuette, elect U.S. Senate nominee Terri Lynn Land, a former Michigan secretary of state, and others on the GOP ticket.

Snyder talked about the actions he has taken to turn around Michigan's economic fortunes, saying "in many ways our spirits were broken" before he ran in 2010 and that he set out to reinvent the way the state did business.

Paul had praise for Snyder as well, saying he went out in his first term and "did something of real value" especially when he approved legislation that prohibited requirements that employees join a union or pay labor dues as a condition of employment.

Paul did nothing during his speech to discourage any suggestion that he is running for president, mentioning another possible candidate — former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, considered the Democratic front-runner if she runs — several times.

He criticized Clinton's comments about businesses as well as her performance as secretary of state, saying she bears some of the blame for not increasing security at the diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, where the U.S. ambassador and three others were killed.

"All this added together should preclude Hillary Clinton from ever being president," Paul said.

The senator's speech — coming after events earlier today in Detroit and Livonia — touched on many of the themes he often mentions, including the need for the U.S. to be careful getting involved in foreign conflicts and reduced goverment spending and reach. But he also drew applause when he called for reducing long prison sentences for people convicted of nonviolent offenses.

By hammering on his proposal to cut taxes in urban centers and other areas with high unemployment rates, however, he indicated his intention to keep Detroit, Atlanta and other cities where he has showed an interest as part of his political plans.

Snyder talked about the actions he has taken to turn around Michigan's economic fortunes, saying "in many ways our spirits were broken" before he ran in 2010 and that he set out to reinvent the way the state did business.

Paul had praise for Snyder as well, saying he went out in his first term and "did something of real value" especially when he approved legislation that prohibited requirements that employees join a union or pay labor dues as a condition of employment.

Paul did nothing during his speech to discourage any suggestion that he is running for president, mentioning another possible candidate — former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, considered the Democratic front-runner if she runs — several times.

He criticized Clinton's comments about businesses as well as her performance as secretary of state, saying she bears some of the blame for not increasing security at the diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, where the U.S. ambassador and three others were killed.

"All this added together should preclude Hillary Clinton from ever being president," Paul said.

The senator's speech — coming after events earlier today in Detroit and Livonia — touched on many of the themes he often mentions, including the need for the U.S. to be careful getting involved in foreign conflicts and reduced goverment spending and reach. But he also drew applause when he called for reducing long prison sentences for people convicted of nonviolent offenses.

By hammering on his proposal to cut taxes in urban centers and other areas with high unemployment rates, however, he indicated his intention to keep Detroit, Atlanta and other cities where he has showed an interest as part of his political plans.