Republican Faithful Await a Savior in Iowa

Personally, Moes says he, too, has moved to Huckabee's corner. John McCain, he says, strikes him as "very negative, very angry," and Romney's Mormon religion "bothers more people than they care to admit."

And thrice-married Rudy Giuliani, whose children don't seem to be supporting his candidacy, is a non-starter for Moes and many others, he reports, because "he can't get his own house in order."

"The Bible says that if a man can't lead his own family, how can he manage the house of God?" he says. "And I think it's the same with the country. If he can't get his kids to love and respect him, how can he command the respect of a nation?"

Moes says he simply doesn't get why religious leaders aren't doing more for Huckabee. "The saddest thing for me right now is that no one in the evangelical community is leading -- they are all following," says Moes. "Huckabee is head and shoulders above the rest of the field. . . . If someone like James Dobson came out for Huckabee, it would make all the difference in the world. . . . He's one of us."

Few here were harsh in their assessments of President Bush or his war policy in Iraq. But there was a sense of disappointment on specific issues such as the deficit and immigration reform. "For a number of Iowans -- who are conservative before they are Republican -- they're discouraged by the reckless spending of last few years," says Chris McGowan, an executive vice president at the Sioux City chamber of commerce, who is uncommitted.

As the spaghetti lunch meeting in Le Mars starts unwinding, it becomes clear that the men have many more pressing things on their minds beyond politics. Cargin weeps as he talks of bringing his disabled son to a nearby care facility, and everyone gathers tightly around him for one last prayer.

"It starts right here with us in our homes, making good decisions about ourselves, our families and our communities, and it cascades from there," says Wells. "We have to do the right thing. Putting our faith in man -- it isn't going to work."