FREEPORT

Republican presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Rand Paul was in Freeport on Tuesday evening, stumping for support, volunteers and touting himself as a different kind of Republican.

Rand Paul was composed and on point at Linda Bean’s. Having visited five states in the past week, he calmly moved from one side of the Topside Tavern, testing mics, switching mics, switching again and attending fully to a live feed before being led away to yet another.

At one point, cameras were set across from one another and as Paul finished one interview, he was physically turned around to begin another.

Downstairs, dining patrons began to cast a wary eye toward the growing presence of news crews. Hosts for the evening, Linda Bean and state Sen. Eric Brakey, mingled and made preparations.

Then the floodgates opened. People poured into the Topside Tavern, got their Rand sticker and were ushered into a receiving line of handshakes, photos and finger foods. One young man brought a copy of the U.S. Constitution for Paul to sign.

Speaking to The Times Record regarding concerns about a warming Casco Bay due to climate change and its affect upon the shellfish industry and Maine’s constitutional carry law, Paul didn’t hesitate to offer his opinion.

Paul said he didn’t have enough knowledge about the ocean locally, however, his view on climate change seemed generally upbeat.

“The government does have a role in controlling pollution and the one thing that’s actually occurred is over the recent years — let’s say over the last 40 or 50 years — a lot of pollution has actually receded,” Paul said.

“As far as sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxide, mercury — we’re actually at a lower level than we were 40 or 50 years ago,” Paul continued.

“I think one thing that’s sometimes lost on people is that if you look at the atmosphere in 1960, we’re cleaner now than 1960. If you look at it from 1915, we’re cleaner now than 1915. If you look at 1890, 1880, my goodness, the atmosphere’s a lot cleaner than 1880.

“So while we have challenges, I think we actually are doing a better job and so I think sometimes it’s wrong to get too carried away with saying ‘Oh my goodness, things are going to hell in a handbasket,’ when in reality we actually have done quite a bit to control pollution,” Paul said.

Maine’s gun law

Speaking of Maine’s recent constitutional carry law, led by Brakey, which allows gun owners to carry a concealed weapon without a permit, Paul reaffirmed his pro-Second Amendment stance.

“I’m a big defender of the Second

Amendment,” Paul said. “I think people should be allowed to exercise their Second Amendment rights.”

As Paul whipped the crowd up, it at times reached the pitch of a religious revival in the standing-roomonly venue as he asked, “Are there any liberty lovers in this audience — anybody here prize and cherish their right to be left alone?” Shouts and applause rolled up from the crowd with each challenge.

“I stood on the floor for 10 hours in the Senate for your right to be left alone,” Paul said. “No one else on the stage would protect the Fourth Amendment. In fact, we had people on the stage, other Republican candidates, who said what they like most about President Obama was him collecting all of your phone records.”

Paul distanced himself from the other Republican candidates, saying there’s an “unholy alliance” between the right and the left, stating the only difference is the right believes in unlimited spending for the military and the left believes in unlimited spending for welfare.

Bouncing between the economy and the collection of phone records, Paul said, “Some will say if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. You know that’s quite a bit of a step down from innocent until proven guilty? It’s quite a bit of a step down from that the government can only look at your stuff if they have a warrant with a judge’s signature on it.”

Paul had no problem taking his opponents to task either.

He accused the Clintons of selling access to politicians and said that many believe they should be in jail, prompting a loud shout of agreement from the crowd.

“You remember there’s a guy, he’s running, he’s a celebrity reality star,” Paul said of Donald Trump. “He says well, when I give to politicians, I expect them to do whatever the hell I tell them to do.

“We’re horrified by politicians that sell access and enrich themselves. Shouldn’t we be equally horrified by businessmen like Donald Trump, who buy access for themselves,” Paul said.

Paul turned the focus on the poor and working class, saying he will abolish the 70,000-page tax code for a flat 14.5 percent tax on everyone. He also proposed creating tax free zones where no federal taxes will be collected for businesses who set up in high poverty areas.

Paul finally called on the Republican party to become the party of justice and a haven for minorities of all walks whether it’s ethnicity or religion.

dmcintire@timesrecord.com