BIO: Senator Bob Dole is far-and-away the front-runner among the ten major candidates seeking the Republican presidential nomination. In his fifth term as a Republican Senator from Kansas, and currently Majority Leader of the Senate, Dole is a World War II hero who lost the use of one arm (and nearly his life) to a German machine gun. Since coming to Washington in 1960 as a Congressman, Dole has steadily built a legendary political career that has made him the most powerful Republican in America today, perhaps with the exception of House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia.

Dole is also a veteran of three previous presidential campaigns. As Gerald Ford's running mate in 1976, Dole developed a reputation for being sharp-tongued and a bit mean-spirited. His two previous bids for the White House in 1980 and 1988 furthered that reputation somewhat. Dole is said to be haunted by memories of the 1988 campaign in which he blew his front-runner status by losing the crucial New Hampshire primary to then Vice President George Bush. At that point, his poorly-run campaign essentially fell apart.

Even Dole's opponents for the nomination concede that he is the man to beat. Barring the unpredictable effects of an increasingly likely Colin Powell candidacy, Dole would have to shoot himself in the foot to lose the nomination. While he has suffered some minor embarrassments in recent weeks -- including a disappointing showing in an Iowa straw poll and a reversal of his decision to return a contribution from a gay rights group -- his fund-raising juggernaut continues to reap millions of dollars and his opponents are failing to catch fire.

Still, Dole has significant worries. In a Republican party now dominated by its conservative wing, there are many who feel that Dole -- whom Newt Gingrich once called "the tax collector for the welfare state" -- is not a true conservative worthy of completing the "Revolution of 1994." While he has proven able to lead a partisan fight through his career, it is true that Dole is best known as a practical conciliator, and to the uncertain extent that he is driven by ideological convictions, they are moderate ones. This is why many Republicans are urging Newt Gingrich to enter the race. Even if Dole should capture the nomination, he'll have to overcome the fact that most polls show him losing to Bill Clinton.

To win his party's nomination, and then the White House, Dole will have to convince conservatives that he will be true to the values of the right. He must also convince the general electorate that, at 72, he is not too old for the job, and that he is seeking the Presidency for some reason besides bringing his storied political career to the one place left to go. Here is a look at Dole's positions on some major issues.

TAX CUTS: This is perhaps the most sensitive issue Dole must grapple with, and his position is precarious. Tax cuts are crucial to the new conservative Republican agenda championed by Newt Gingrich and his disciples in the House of Representatives, who passed a massive $350 billion tax cut earlier this year. They argue that tax cuts create jobs and boost the economy. Democrats charge that Republicans are giving the rich a huge gift at a time when the country can least afford it. Dole could not muster such a large cut in the more moderate Senate and, after negotiations with House leaders, settled on a $245 billion tax cut which the Senate passed on the night of October 28. Dole, already feeling heat from conservatives, is now contending with suggestions from some Republican Senators that the tax cut must be reduced before final passage, probably late next month. He himself has made some equivocal remarks, but with tax hawks like Senator Phil Gramm of Texas challenging him for the nomination, Dole will try to hold the tax line.

WELFARE REFORM: Congress' ambitious attempt at welfare reform is another issue that has left Dole trying to strike a balance between the need to make deals to pass legislation and to position himself as a tough conservative. Most Republicans argue that the federal welfare system is an ineffective waste of money that teaches dependency and discourages work. Democrats agree that the system is flawed, but argue that the Republicans' solutions simply cut off the needy without providing any realistic alternatives. The House and Senate have both passed welfare reform plans that turn over most welfare responsibilities to state governments (delegating authority to the state level, known as "devolution," is a central theme of Republican strategy). But the Senate version is far more moderate than the House's. The final version is likely to more closely resemble the House version, but Dole will have to contend with charges that his legislative compromising toned down a centerpiece of the House's Contract With America.

FEDERAL BUDGET: Tax cuts are just part of a massive seven-year plan aimed at achieving a balanced federal budget. Dole will trumpet the tax cuts during the campaign as evidence of his ability to responsibly manage America's books and to be an effective leader of the conservative revolution. The sprawling package included many controversial elements, including sharp cuts in both Medicare and Medicaid programs, designed to help reach the huge savings needed to reach a balanced budget. Dole was clearly in his element in bringing the plan to passage, cutting several minor deals with Senators to win their votes in return for special breaks for their states. He even bragged about his performance to The New York Times: "It's about leadership, and I'm the leader," Dole said. "I get it done."