FLINT, MI -- A large crowd gathered Saturday morning outside the Flint Farmers' Market to hear what presidential hopeful Senator Rand Paul has planned for cities like Flint if elected.

More than 150 people showed up Saturday, July 11, for Paul's "Stand with Rand Meet and Greet."

Kostandi Stephenson, 17 of Midland, made the trek to Flint just to see Paul. Stephenson said she is interested in going into politics and meeting Paul on Saturday meant a lot to her.

"I'm really into politics and I want to go into that." Stephenson said. "So to see someone who has been so successful in it like Rand Paul, it was really an amazing opportunity."

Braden Burgess, 24 of Flushing, said he came to the Farmers' Market to see Paul speak as well. Burgess believes Paul is an interesting candidate who pushes the conversation within his party and nationally, which could draw voters.

"The Republican Party has traditionally struggled with minority votes, and obviously Flint is a majority African American city." Burgess said. "So to see Rand Paul here for the Republican Party is a great thing."

The Republican candidate spoke to the crowd saying government should play less of a role in their day-to-day lives.

"We need a government that is a lot smaller so your freedom can be a lot bigger." Paul said.

Paul also spoke to the crowd about their right to privacy and the right to be left alone.

The U.S. Senator from Kentucky said he decided to come to Michigan because it is a state where Republicans generally don't do that well, and he wants to show people he is a Republican who can win the state.

"I want to show that I'm a Republican who can win Michigan and I do that by being in Detroit, I was in Highland Park yesterday, and coming to Flint." Paul said. "These were areas where Democrats overwhelmingly won and we're gonna show that the message that I have can appeal to a broad swab of people - white, black, rich, poor, working class, business class."

In recent polling in Michigan, Paul said he was the only Republican that is neck-and-neck with presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. He said it is going to take a different kind of Republican to win the state.

"It's tough to win Michigan, and I think it's going to take a different kind of Republican and I think I bring something to the public that can appeal in Flint, Detroit, and many cities where Republicans haven't done very well frankly." He said.

Paul's plan for Flint and other struggling cities would be the Economic Freedom Zones plan, in which federal taxes would be dramatically lowered so more money stays in the community.

"Over $100 million would remain in Flint and no longer be sent to Washington," Paul said. "I think if you left $100 million in Flint that it would create jobs."

Paul said there are three planks to his platform that he believes will appeal to people outside the Republican Party, including African Americans. He said he wants to bring more people of color into the Republican Party. Paul's plans include Economic Freedom Zones, school of choice, and criminal justice reform.

The school of choice plan would allow parents and students to choose what school they attend in their area.

"We have equal access to schools, which is great, but all schools aren't equal." Paul said. "I went to a great public school. I had calculus, anatomy, physiology, and physics in high school, but I'm guessing there's some schools that aren't as good and that 50 percent of the kids drop out. So I want to make the schools equal, which means I think giving kids a choice."

Paul said he plans to reform the criminal justice system that has disproportionately affected African Americans.

"I think we've locked up a whole generation of young men, we've incarcerated them, they get out, they can't find work." Paul said. "I would take a lot of the minor drug felonies and I would make them misdemeanors. I would give people a second chance and I have at least 10 criminal justice bills that I've co-authored with Democrats, frankly that show I'm willing to go beyond sort of the partisan bickering to try to fix the problems that we have."

The bipartisan split is something Paul said he works to avoid by partnering with Democrats.

"I'm one who is not afraid to be outside my party." Paul said. "I've worked with Democrats on criminal justice reform. I've worked with Democrats on the right to privacy. Ron Wyden and I were two of the leaders in trying to get rid of the NSA program where they were collecting all of your phone records, that's a bipartisan effort. I'm actually on a bill with Harry Reed to let people get their right to vote back after they've served their time. So I'm one who isn't afraid of party labels."

Paul kicked off his campaign in Michigan on Friday with his first stop in Highland Park. Paul continued his "Stand with Rand" events Saturday in Shelby Charter Township, Flint, Dewitt and Holland.

Amanda Emery is a police reporter for MLive-Flint Journal. Contact her at aemery@mlive.com or 810-285-0792. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook.