AMES, Iowa — Texas Rep. Ron Paul knows his conservative audience, and was sure to emphasize his pro-life beliefs in addition to his usual “freedom” stump speech at the Iowa Straw Poll today.

“Today I’m going to emphasize something slightly different than just the cause of liberty,” Paul, a Republican candidate for president, told the Ames, Iowa audience.

“Because there is something that precedes liberty, and that is life,” Paul continued. “I believe in a very limited role of government, but the prime reason that government exists in a free society is to protect liberty, but also to protect life — and I mean all life.”

Paul recalled that when he was in medical school in the 1950s “it was a non-issue. It was assumed everybody was pro-life and abortions weren’t to be done.” (RELATED: Rand Paul makes an Iowa appearance to support his father)

His campaign tent at the straw poll is in prime real estate, in a large space near the entrance. Paul signs cover the campus of Iowa State University.

“One thing about our campaign is its been identified with one particular word, and I’m very proud of it,” Paul said in his speech. “We are identified with the cause of liberty.”