Why do conservative audiences like him so much? The simplest answer is that Carson is a really appealing man. Another is that he speaks to the throw-’em-out strain among conservatives, the same kind of thinking that would be open to a third-party candidate. Yet another is that Carson’s it’s-really-very-simple commonsense approach to complex issues resonates with a significant segment of the party. And finally, as the only black candidate, Carson’s race might have something to do with it; he might appeal to that part of the Republican mind that has been scarred by years of accusations of racism, and also to those who believe the GOP needs a minority candidate to win more minority voters.

Finally, Carson projects a serenity and faith that attracts a following. It’s hard to overstate the degree to which he believes that God has guided him not just through his life but to this campaign. Speaking to him at the Western Conservative Summit, I noted that in his memoir, Gifted Hands, Carson wrote that he believes God gave him a special talent for surgery. Does he now also believe God gave him a special talent to be president of the United States?

“Well, I think the people will make that decision,” Carson answered.