SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – While openly mulling the possibility of a presidential run, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul resisted criticizing fellow Republicans considering their own bids.

Speaking with reporters at the Missouri Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Days convention here in Springfield, Paul refrained from criticizing Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker over the controversy surrounding emails suggesting political coordination between his office while he was Milwaukee county executive and his 2010 gubernatorial campaign.

“I really have not said much of anything about the bridge issue, to tell the truth. Some people have said that,” Paul said, referring to the probe surrounding potential 2016 hopeful Chris Christie and the bridge closing in New Jersey. “I don’t know anything about the Walker issue, other than I’ve seen some headlines.”

Walker has said that he believes the next Republican presidential nominee should be a governor. When prompted with other Republican names like Paul Ryan, Ted Cruz, and Paul, Walker told ABC News, they are “all good guys, but it’s got to be somebody who’s viewed as being exceptionally remote from Washington.”

Paul’s response?

“I would disagree,” he said.

Paul said he was not any closer to a decision on a 2016 run. He did say his visit was important because Missouri could be a bellwether state in 2016. More broadly, Paul said Republicans should be working to expand their base, including reaching out to African Americans in urban areas.

“What I’ve been talking a lot about, whether or not I run, is how we make the party bigger. The cities in Missouri have large African American populations, and I think Republicans need to have a message that resonates in a bigger and better way.”

Paul was the featured speaker at the party’s Saturday night fundraising dinner. Prior to the dinner, Paul met with Sen. Roy Blunt and large donors in a private meeting.