The Big Questions: By Mark Halperin

Illustration by Wes Duvall for TIME

Could Ron Paul win the Iowa caucuses?

If the Texas Congressman were a conventional candidate, the answer would be yes. He has captured a solid 17% of the vote in polls, he has overrun his rivals in local-television-ad spending, he has logged nearly 50 days campaigning in the Hawkeye State, he has built what Iowa Republican governor Terry Branstad has called the state's best organization, and he has the kind of committed core supporters who tend to dominate caucus contests. But Paul's quirky libertarian agenda has a limited appeal within the party--especially with the Evangelical wing that makes up a big...

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