New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie also sought to establish a deeper bond with the Iowa. The Hawkeye State receives outsized attention in presidential years thanks to its first-in-the-nation status during the primary season.
Marathon time
For the 10-hour day of back-to-back speeches, “the candidates” — as they were called — joined other high-profile Republicans at Hoyt Sherman Place, an old, intricate theater built in 1877 that also became the first public art museum in Des Moines.
Billed as the Iowa Freedom Summit, the event was co-hosted by Citizens United and Rep. Steve King, a revered lawmaker who represents the northwestern part of the state and has considerable clout among the more social conservative and Christian right faction of the party.
It was no secret that it was considered a cattle call for the presidential race. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, for example, said that the reason he ended his Fox News show was for a bigger goal he has in mind.
“It wasn’t just so I can go deer hunting every weekend, I can assure you that,” he said.
Others were more blatant.
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Still, he was noticeably different from his usual style. His demeanor was toned down and he read from his prepared remarks on the podium, a stark contrast to his preferred off-the-cuff method.
Some of the chatter in the hallways and to reporters also featured two potential contenders who weren’t there: Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney.
Trump put it simply: “Mitt had his chance. He should have won and he choked.” As for Bush: “We’ve had enough of the Bushes.”
Sens. Rand Paul and Marco Rubio, as well as Gov. Bobby Jindal, also skipped the event, but given that it’s year ahead before Iowans start to caucus, it’s unlikely that missing one event will hurt them.
Saturday’s event was more of a curtain raiser, giving the first glimpse of what will likely be a competitive Republican primary.
Walker, as he closed his speech, offered a pledge that will likely be mirrored my several of the speakers on stage over the next year: “I’m going to come back many more times.”
CNN’s Adam Levy contributed to this report.
