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Sen. Rand Paul tells POLITICO that the Republican presidential candidate in 2016 could capture one-third or more of the African-American vote by pushing criminal-justice reform, school choice and economic empowerment.

If Republicans have a clue and do this and go out and ask every African-American for their vote, I think we can transform an election in one cycle, the Kentucky Republican said in a phone interview Thursday as he was driven through New Hampshire in a rental car.

Paul on the cover of the new issue of Time as The Most Interesting Man in Politics met with black leaders in Ferguson, Missouri, last week; opened a GOP engagement office in an African-American area of Louisville in June; and spoke the next month to a National Urban League convention in Cincinnati.

(Also on POLITICO: Rand Paul meets with black leaders in Ferguson)

That doesnt mean that we get to a majority of African-American votes in one cycle, Paul continued, speaking between campaign stops in Plymouth and Salem. But I think there is fully a third of the African-American vote that is open to much of the message, because much of what the Democrats has offered hasnt worked.

Exit polls showed the GOPs share of the African-American vote in the past six presidential elections ranged from 4 percent for John McCain in 2008 to 12 percent for Bob Dole in 1996, according to the Roper Center. Mitt Romney got 6 percent in 2012.

When pressed on his ambitious goal, Paul upped the ante: I dont want to limit it to that. I dont want to say theres only a third open. The reason I use the number a third, is that when you do surveys of African-American voters, a third of them are conservative on a preponderance of the issues. So, there is upside potential.

As I travel and I go and meet with African-American leaders they may not be ready to embrace a Republican yet, Paul added. But they say that theyre very happy that were competing for their vote. And they often tell me, You know what? I havent seen my Democrat representative in a while.

(VIDEO: CDC chief: 'Porous' borders in Africa would undermine travel ban)

Paul said that if Republicans win the Senate majority next month and his fellow Kentucky senator, Mitch McConnell, becomes majority leader, the Senate should quickly pass a flurry of bills to put Obama on the spot.

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Paul makes big vow on black vote