(CNN) - Sarah Palin is set to headline the Iowa Republican Party's annual Ronald Reagan Dinner on September 17, the former Alaska governor's first political visit to the leadoff caucus state since she traveled there as John McCain's running mate in 2008.
The trip comes at an opportune moment for Palin, who has flexed her muscle this midterm cycle by successfully backing a number of conservative candidates in closely-watched GOP primaries nationwide, and is guaranteed to heighten speculation about a possible 2012 presidential bid.
Palin's visit was first reported by TheIowaRepublican.com on Monday evening and confirmed by the Republican Party of Iowa on Tuesday morning.
The Des Moines fundraiser is also certain to be a huge draw for the Iowa Republican Party, which is looking this November to re-capture the governor's mansion along with majorities in the state Senate and House.
Iowa GOP officials were eyeing Palin for the dinner as early as this spring, and landing the former Alaska governor is something of a coup, in part because Palin has until now largely resisted invitations to appear at party events in the crucial presidential nominating states.
Like other major fundraising dinners in key states, the featured speaker is often the subject of presidential buzz. Past headliners at the Reagan Dinner include Mitt Romney, who spoke in 2004, and Mike Huckabee and Fred Thompson, who attended in 2007.
But the event has also hosted several leading Republicans who flirted with presidential bids but decided against running, such as former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee and former New York Governor George Pataki.
Palin visited Iowa late last year, for a book signing as part of her national book tour for "Going Rogue: An American Life."
From CNN Politics
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I like the way Sarah Palin sets herself up as a moral authority, despite the fact that she couldn't teach her own daughter how to keep an aspirin between her knees. She'a a piece of trash!!
Marian E. Paul
I love how the liberal media squirms at anything Palin does, remember folks 47% of America did vote for her. I dare say that if the election were held today she would be in the white house. Hope is not a plan folks and we are now thirteen trillion more in debt with nothing to show for it unless you have a union pension. Obama has proven to be a divider and a fical failure.
Palin won't run for President. She is enjoying her role of being able to raise massive amounts of cash for the Republican party and agitating Democrats. She does have influence but I believe she knows she isn't electable at this point. She is a perfect fit for pointing out the President's short comings. This is something I think she takes great joy in after she was and is treated by the Media. She is setting in the Cat Bird seat currently, why ruin that by running for President and taking a chance of losing. The other thing she successful at is pushing more conservative candidates to eliminate the more moderate Republicans. Like her or not it's working. It get's the Republican base fired up and makes the Media and Liberals crazy. She has to be enjoying that.
When are you going to stop covering her? Why are you covering her at all? Is the media really so bent on pushing this woman as a serious Presidential candidate in two years?
Thanks for lettings know on everything Palin, we so desperately needed to know that this is a trending report.
How about when she does something worthwhile, like when she actually says she's running for office. Then let us know. K? Thanks!
With all she does how does she have time to write books? I really doubt that she writes her books, She should go back to home and do her duty for her state and leave the rest of us alone..
Sarah Palin is unfit for government. Recent polls have shown that 60 per cent of those polled think she is incompetent to be President. Why is she allowed by the GOP to strut her stupidity. She needs to visit an iceberg in Alaska and camp for a couple of years. Learn what global warming is all about.
I admire Sarah Palin for her grace under vicious liberal attacks, but sincerely hope she does not run for President in 2012.
Maybe she can see russia from Iowa!!!!
Oh Dear, Sarah is going to get skewered again by the liberal left. It just goes to show the fear that the Tax and Send Liberal Progressive Socialist Weenies have when their is a talent and skill set superior to their own. Go ahead, lay waste.....your vile words do not condone the "peaceful" and "tolerant" message that is ususally the mantra of the Liberal regime. Maybe I did not get that email where that Peace and Tolerant be extended to lke thinking people. OK.
I wonder, how much trash and litter were spewed around after the 8-28 Honor Rally? Certainly less than was left after the last presidential inauguration. Boy, wasn't that a filthy trashy mess left by those on Jan 20, 2010.
I'll give a dollar to see her happy hole.
Raising HER bankbook balance by spreading blatant lies. h ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
What a waste of human existence.
Should go over big in Iowa. She's being shoved down the throats of the whole nation, and with all the tall corn in Iowa, maybe we'll all get lucky, and she'll get lost, but for good..
Sarah Palin is chief clown of the Republican Party. What an embarrassment.
Will SP be attending any Gay marriages while there? Or will she be consoling those who have had their "Traditional Marriages" explode in flames because of Gay Marriage?
Gawd. Who cares? I was hoping that the story of Palin making a "big trip" meant that that she was:
a) volunteering for space flight
b) bicycling across the arctic land bridge to Russia
c) sailing solo around the world, or at the very least
d) walking from Prudhoe Bay to Key West
ANY of the above options would keep her occupied and prevent her from making long-winded, asinine speeches for a week or two...
It's really hard for her to be taken seriously when she gets more minutes of coverage in Jay Leno's and Dave Letterman's monologues than she gets on her own Faux news show! My question is what would it take for her to come to the "enemy territory" here in the Northeast so she can try her lines in New Hampshire? While that state is reliably conservative, they look for a lot more sincerity than she is capable of producing.
she needs to make a trip to the moon and stay there.STOP reporting about this horrible person,And to say she flexed her muscle is a complement she is hardly worthy of-as she has none.
This woman is a product of her own marketing and delusional imagination.STOP legitimizing this idiot.
This is great news for the Obama family. If Moose Momma runs, the seated president and family doesn't have to worry about moving for another 4 years.
"...[Palin] has flexed her muscle this midterm cycle by successfully backing a number of conservative candidates in closely-watched GOP primaries nationwide..."
And many of her candidates tanked. I remember these being reported on CNN (last count it was about 7 or 8), so why not at least mention it here to be balanced? As written it gives the distinct impression that if she endorsed them, they won, which is far from the truth.
"...[the visit to Iowa is ] guaranteed to heighten speculation about a possible 2012 presidential bid."
Does anyone doubt for a second she will run in 2012? She's too much of an opportunist to pass that up. She's been planning it since the election loss. Barring a calamitous event, she will run. She will not get the nomination, but I'm sure she'll at least begin a campaign. Then when it fails, she'll go on Dancing With The Stars.
This idiotic wench needs to fly back to Alaska on her broomstick, and stay there. Maybe she should focus on taking care of her litter at home.