The Big Questions: Ron Paul Considered

In this week's issue of TIME Magazine (available to subscribers here), Halperin looks at the Texan's chances of winning — or at least being a player — in 2012.

"Under Republican Party rules, he can win delegates even in states where he doesn’t come in first. His fervent backers will keep sending him money, whatever the delegate count. Paul feels so strongly about his agenda that he could stay in through June, picking up one-fifth of the vote to steer the platform and convention in Tampa.... In 1988 he was on the ballot in more than 40 states as the Libertarian Party candidate and won nearly half a million votes..."