Sen. Rand Paul campaigning in Hopkinsville.

(Clinton KY) - It isn't often I pick up the phone in my office and hear "This is Senator Rand Paul."

Okay. It's isn't often. It isn't ever. But it happened this morning.

I am so good at political interviewing, I wound up hanging up on him. Operator error, not a political statement.

The Senator's staff worked me in between campaign schedule and my day/volunteer job, making the conversation a short one.

First question had to be about economic development. Elections are all about jobs, jobs, jobs, aren't they? Especially in areas like ours with populations and opportunities dwindling.

Senator Rand Paul's plan to help economically distressed counties was first proposed by Republican moderate Jack Kemp years ago as "enterprise zones." Paul calls his "economic freedom zones."

In a phone interview on Thursday, Paul said that his plan would cut taxes at multiple levels. Within areas with high levels of poverty, Eastern Kentucky, Louisville's West End and at least one of the Mississippi River Counties, federal taxes would be cut as low as 5% for corporations and individuals.

Paul predicts $500 million dollars will stay in Eastern Kentucky, $200 million in the West End and "millions" in Western Kentucky.

Paul contrasted his plan to others. "We've never done this on an extended basis. Our plan will go on for ten years."

The fly in the ointment for his economic freedom zone is that the idea hasn't caught on in Congress. While distressed areas outside of Kentucky - think Detroit - may benefit, legislators from those areas haven't jumped on board.

Economic development of the Mississippi River is also on the Senator's mind. The famously libertarian leaning and government spending hawk approves of domestic spending on infrastructure. Paul said that "since the federal government jointly owns " the waterways, it is logical that it must work to keep them open.

He specifically cited his support for small harbors. The Port of Hickman is one of those ports that needs dredging to stay open. Paul visited Hickman last summer to listen to the concerns expressed about Hickman.

Of course, Paul had to swing back to his campaign theme of not spending money abroad during the discussion of infrastructure. He asserts that money spent on roads in Afghanistan and Pakistan could be better spent at home.

The election being only days away and cross party rancor the highest since Burr shot Hamilton, Senator Paul was asked about bipartisanship in Congress.

Could he work with the other side of the aisle?

Paul says that he can and that he has. He reeled off a laundry list of bills and issues that he has worked with Democratic senators: Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut on stopping weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, a practice Paul said puts guns into the hands of terrorists like ISIS. He teamed with Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey to propose legislation on heroin abuse. He worked with Sen. Ron Wyden on criminal justice reform.

What can Paul do if he wins re-election to calm the roiled waters of the American electorate?

Senator Paul said that "As a doctor, I've figured out the best way to heal is to find common ground. If there are a thousand issues, we can find a hundred we agree on. If there are a hundred, let's find ten."

He said that the opoid crisis is a perfect example of finding something everyone can agree on. There are more people in Kentucky killed by opoids than by car crashes. Lawmakers agreed that something had to be done and passed legislation addressing the crisis.

"There are times we can work together."

Republican Senator Rand Paul will face challenger Lexington Mayor Democrat Jim Gray on Tuesday.

Polls open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 6:00 p.m. Voters in line at 6:00 will get to vote.