Iowa GOP confirms Gov. Palin to keynote fundraiser

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The Des Moines Register reported Tuesday morning that Iowa Republican Party Chairman Matt Strawn confirmed a Monday scoop by political blog The Iowa Republican (covered by TX4P here) that Sarah Palin will make her first political visit to the important presidential caucus state next month. Gov. Palin has accepted an invitation to keynote the Iowa GOP’s annual fall fundraiser Sept. 17 in Des Moines:

Palin also is expected to make other yet-announced political stops that day, with the Ronald Reagan dinner, a marquee event for the 2012 presidential prospect’s Iowa coming-out, that evening.

“A few months ago, Gov. Palin and her people reached out to us expressing interest in coming to our state,” Strawn told the Register this morning. “We’ve been working through those details for the past couple months.”

The state GOP and other conservative organizations in Iowa have been trying to land Palin, a huge draw for the party, since she stepped down as governor in July, 2009. Twice, Iowa officials thought they were close to inking visits, as recently as this summer.

The news comes on the heels of Palin’s appearance at Glenn Beck’s rally in Washington, D.C., Sunday. Palin, a star at the rally of conservatives, rated second in the field of prospective Republican presidential candidates in an August CNN poll, behind former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Palin has also maintained popularity among Republicans in Iowa without making a campaign appearance here in almost two years.

Fifty eight percent of Iowa Republican primary voters said in June they had a favorable opinion of Gov. Palin, according to The Des Moines Register’s Iowa Poll. That was slightly behind Romney, at 62 percent, and slightly ahead of former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, at 56 percent. The differences are within the poll's margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

In a news release, the Iowa GOP announced that Tickets for the Reagan Dinner are $100 each, or $1,000 for a table of eight. But the party is offering Iowans work-for-your-ticket deal:

Strawn noted that while the former Governor of Alaska and Vice Presidential nominee is popular among Iowans, the current economy is challenging for many Iowa families who may wish to attend. That is why the Iowa GOP is offering Iowans an opportunity to volunteer through any of its ten statewide Victory Centers in exchange for a ticket to the Ronald Reagan “Salute to Freedom” Dinner. For additional details regarding volunteer opportunities, Iowans should contact their local Iowa GOP Victory Center in: Ames, Cedar Falls, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Iowa City, Marion, Mason City, Ottumwa, Sioux City and Urbandale.

Tickets can be reserved by emailing RSVP@IowaGOP.org or by calling 515-282-8105.

Media requesting credentials should email Danielle Plogmann at dplogmann@iowagop.org.

The time and location of the event will be announced by the Republican Party of Iowa at a later date.

- JP