Sen. Rand Paul is heating up the 2016 presidential race before it really starts.
He seems to borrow a page from Barack Obama's campaign playbook.
The Kentucky Republican is courting first-time voters at the University of Iowa on Friday.
"Let's let college students deduct the entire cost of their education over their working careers," he said. "Let's make college tuition entirely deductible."
Republicans realize they must capture the under-30 voters to reclaim the White House.
They're picking Democratic turf in Iowa City to make a point.
An early poll already suggests that Sen. Paul is pulling ahead of Hillary Clinton in Iowa.
"I think that's why the younger voters want to vote for him," said Iowa Sophomore Dillon Freitag. "He really sticks to the Constitution and our individual liberties."
This early campaign resembles a horse race as jockeys scramble for position. That makes support from first-time voters even more important.
"As millennials, it's just crucial because you want to relate to them as much as possible, in any way that you can," said Iowa Freshman Gina Jochimsen.
This 52-year-old eye surgeon casts himself as a Washington outsider willing to work with both sides of the aisle.
It's time for him to savor the spotlight before more challengers crowd the race.
"I will fight to keep the federal government out of Iowa, out of your home, out of your business and out of your church," he said.
A rally for Rand that's counting on student support in coming months.