Stephanie Condon: Ron Paul Moves to Top Tier!!

The Iowa caucuses are just seven weeks away, but Republican voters in the nation's first presiden -tial nominating state seem as torn as ever over the GOP field. A new Bloomberg poll of likely caucus participants shows a four-way tie in Iowa, with Rep. Ron Paul joining Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Herman Cain in the top tier of candidates. Underscoring the uncertainty in the race, 60 percent of respondents said they could be persuaded to back someone other than their first choice for the nomination. The poll, conducted November 10-12 by the West Des Moines- based firm Selzer & Co, shows Cain in the lead with 20 percent, while Paul comes in at 19 percent. The margin of error is 4.4 percent. While Christian conservatives have more influence in Iowa than they do in the rest of the nation, only a quarter of likely caucus-goers say social issues are more important than economic issues. As many as 71 percent say they're voting on issues like jobs and taxes. The focus on economic issues has likely advantaged Paul, who is known for his strong libertarian views. The Texas congressman wins the most support, 32 percent, from likely caucus-goers who say they've made up their minds.