I don’t see it that way at all. I do think he wants to change some longstanding GOP positions, like when and where to intervene internationally, but otherwise it looks to me like he’s just looking for some common ground with groups that the GOP has too much of a tendency to just write off as unreachable.
The positions he wants to move left on are fundamental issues like abortion and marriage, and immigration, and yes, as you point out, national defense.
“I think that the Republican Party, in order to get bigger, will have to agree to disagree on social issues,” Paul advised. “The Republican Party is not going to give up on having quite a few people who do believe in traditional marriage. But the Republican Party also has to find a place for young people and others who don’t want to be festooned by those issues.”