NINTH IN THE SERIES: RON PAUL

BIRTHDAY: Aug. 20, 1935 (72) HOMETOWN: Lake Jackson, Texas RELIGION: Baptist

FAMILY: Married to Carol Wells since 1957; five children, 18 grandchildren, one great-grandchild.

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree, Gettysburg College, 1957; medical degree, Duke University, 1961.

EXPERIENCE: Flight surgeon and captain, U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard, 1963-1968; obstetrician and gynecologist, 1968-1996; U.S. congressman from Texas, 1976-1977, 1979-1985, 1997-present; ran for president as a Libertarian in 1988.

YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW: When the Republican Party, including then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush, threw support behind Paul's primary opponent in 1996, former baseball great and friend Nolan Ryan helped Paul win re-election to Congress.

CAMPAIGN OFFICIAL WEB SITE WWW.RONPAUL2008.COM/

CHOICE TO RUN:

Says he's running to restore the rule of law under the Constitution. "We need faith in ourselves ... and confidence in understanding how freedom works," he has said. "We have lost our way because we believe government will take care of us."

MAJOR THEMES:

Limited government based on a literal view of the Constitution. Paul says he wants to put the country back on the gold standard, do away with the IRS and bring U.S. troops home.

IN NEVADA:

Has campaigned twice in Nevada. He has six paid staffers in the state and many volunteers -- in Las Vegas there are 600, according to a campaign spokesman -- who have joined forces through Internet networking sites.

IN THE POLLS

NATIONALLY

Has shown increases of late, but yet to break into double digits.

NEVADA

A Review-Journal poll earlier this month showed Paul with 5 percent of the likely vote, placing him sixth among Republican candidates.

POSITIONS

WAR/NATIONAL SECURITY

Voted against the Iraq war and would withdraw American forces, not just from Iraq, but from all 130 foreign nations where they are stationed. During a speech at UNLV, Paul said: "We don't need to just change the management of the war. We need a foreign policy of nonintervention to prevent wars from ever breaking out. ... We're spending a trillion dollars maintaining an empire overseas. We have to end the empire and come home."

HEALTH CARE

Would make all medical expenses tax deductible and every American eligible for a Health Savings Account, removing the requirement that a high-deductible insurance policy be purchased before opening the accounts. Paul says he would eliminate federal regulations that discourage small businesses from providing health coverage and would allow doctors to collectively negotiate with insurance companies to drive down the cost of care.

IMMIGRATION

Wants to physically secure the nation's borders, including building a wall between the United States and Mexico. Paul says taxpayers should not pay for illegal immigrants to use hospitals, schools, roads or social services. Birthright citizenship should be ended, he says, because as long as illegal immigrants know children born here will be citizens, the incentive to enter illegally remains strong.

NEVADA ISSUES

Voted against Yucca Mountain and has consistently opposed the proposed nuclear waste repository in Nevada on the basis of states' rights.

ENERGY

Wants to end subsidies and research-and-development funding for the energy sector, although some believe that funding would aid the growth of renewable energy. He says he would allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, boost the use of coal and embrace nuclear power.

TAXES

Has pledged never to raise taxes and says he has never voted to approve a deficit budget. Paul says he would abolish the income tax and fund the government through excise taxes (taxes paid when a specific good, like gasoline, is purchased) or non-protectionist tariffs (taxes levied on imports).

CRITICS

Some have called Paul's foreign policy views isolationist and naive, saying he considers direct military attacks the only national security threat to the United States. He would ignore threats brewing overseas in China, Iran and Russia, critics say. Paul has been criticized for attributing the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to U.S. intervention in the Mideast. Critics say that view placates radical Islamic terrorists.