Brian Doherty, an historian of libertarian politics, surveys the scene in Iowa. Libertarian-leaning Ron Paul came in a respectable third, as all America now knows.
Is there any doubt that he would have done even better without the newsletter controversy (something Doherty has assured couldn’t matter, and about which he does not write in his post-election report)?
In any event, Paul’s not going away, but he might have pulled away in Iowa without the newsletter issue.
See, from Iowa, Doherty’s account of the caucuses.