The fight is also causing problems among other major Republican figures.
After Mr. Paul's 13-hour filibuster last week, leading Republican figures heaped praise on the freshman senator.
Moderate Republican figures vulnerable to conservative assault include Governor Charlie Crist of Florida and Senator John McCain in Arizona.
The forum drew more than 100 out-of-state journalists and a long list of Republican figures.
As with other Republican figures of this moment, Romney may end up blending all three of those prototypes.
Senior Republican figures called on him to step down from the campaign, but he refused to do so.
But Republican figures from the Reagan years say these conservatives misread their idol's record of bipartisan compromises.
And it might intensify the efforts by establishment Republican figures to coalesce behind Mr. Romney in an attempt to stop a Gingrich nomination.
While Mr. Ryan is from a neighboring state, Wisconsin, he is one of the few leading Republican figures who has rarely visited Iowa.
The odd: on Monday, a somewhat strange group of Republican figures — who knew that William Kristol was an expert on monetary policy?
She has strong support among Democrats, and some senior Republican figures have openly pondered if she would present an unbeatable candidate.
