Long-shot Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul appeared before about 300 supporters Monday in Bismarck, N.D., calling the state "fertile ground" for his message.

"This is a small state, but you can send a big message," Paul told the crowd gathered at the Bismarck Elks club, according to The Bismarck Tribune. "A message here for liberty will be heard around the country and around the world.

After the event, Paul said he sees winning the North Dakota caucuses as a real possibility, but that it's not his only objective.

"Tomorrow, I think the goal is to come in first in North Dakota," he told reporters. "But if we come in second that will be fine, because the enthusiasm will continue to build."

Paul, who held a rally earlier Monday in Fargo, is the third presidential candidate to visit North Dakota. Former Republican candidate Rudy Giuliani visited last November and former Democratic candidate Dennis Kucinich visited last September.

Crowd members showed their enthusiasm for the candidate with cheers and signs such as one homemade model that read "legalize the Constitution."

Eric Lutz, a 26-year-old online business owner who attended Monday's rally, said he was first attracted to Paul because of these views on the Constitution and the nation's economy.

"I agree with a lot of his views, and I came (to the rally today) because I wanted to learn more," he said, according to the Tribune.

Click here to see the full report in The Bismarck (N.D.) Tribune.