Rand Paul 2016: Everything You Need to Know About the Presidential Candidate in a Minute

Everything about Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul strays from what Republican voters expect.

Paul regularly questions his constituents on policy. He supports less punitive drug laws. He'll trade in a well-tailored suit for jeans and a blazer while on the campaign trail. At times, Paul will channel his inner college student by "trolling" people and airing grievances on Twitter.

Presidential hopefuls normally enter campaign rallies to a well-known Bruce Springsteen song, or an overplayed patriotic ballad. On Tuesday, Paul entered his presidential candidacy announcement to Big John's "Shuttin' Down Detroit;" an anti-Wall Street ballad that takes shots at financial institutions bailed out by the government.

Paul is the anti-GOP candidate. Yet, he has a decent chance at winning the party's nomination.

"Big government and debt doubled under a Republican administration. And it's now tripling under Barack Obama's watch," Paul said in a downtown Louisville hotel ballroom. "President Obama is on course to add more debt than all of the previous presidents combined. We borrow a million dollars a minute. This vast accumulation of debt threatens not just our economy, but our security.

In his speech, Paul said there is no monopoly on knowledge in Washington and proposed limiting Congress to two terms. He added that Congress will never balance the budget because they have "an abysmal record with balancing anything."

The practicing ophthalmologist is a well-liked libertarian who bills himself as a conservative realist. Thanks to father Ron Paul's presidential bids in 2008 and 2012, and strong tea party support that led to his 2010 Senate election, Paul may have the right mix of young voters and traditionalist Republicans to maintain a competitive campaign.

The question for Paul is whether he can get enough support from undecided voters. Especially those wary of his left-leaning tendencies.

Instead of hitting Republican-heavy universities over the last two years, Paul has visited liberal college towns like Berkeley and Austin that usually doesn't pander to party candidates. When he visits Iowa on Friday, Paul will stop in one of the state's conservative strongholds but in one of its most liberal cities, Iowa City; home to the University of Iowa.

Unlike his GOP counterparts, Paul is apprehensive toward foreign intervention. Last year, he supported limited airstrikes against ISIS but vehemently opposed arming Syrian rebels. Similar disagreements have shown his willingness to fight those within his own party.

Two years ago, Paul got into a verbal scuffle with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie over national security and federal spending. Recently he took a swipe at presidential candidate and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush over medical marijuana.

What ruffles the most feathers among fellow Republicans is Paul's unwavering opposition to any government surveillance into people's daily lives. One of the crowd's biggest grumbles Tuesday came when Paul vowed to dismantle the National Security Agency's phone data collection program.

A champion of civil liberties, Paul was one of few politicians to visit Ferguson, Missouri following riots stemming from the Trayvon Martin trial. He frequently boasts that there is no bigger defender of minority rights.

Speakers preceding Paul on Tuesday included African-American former congressman J.C. Watts and Hispanic state Sen. Ralph Alvarado.

Paul represents real changes within the Republican party. Some may agree with his beliefs - like his theory that vaccinations cause mental disorders - while others praise his knack for appealing to on-the-fence voters.

Either way, Paul represents the changing face of the GOP.

"I believe we can have liberty and security and I will not compromise your liberty for a false sense of security, not now, not ever," Paul said.