The New Hampshire Republican Party is organizing its own version of Rep. Steve King’s (R-IA) Iowa Freedom Summit where prospective 2016 Republican presidential candidates will gather for two days to deliver speeches meant to help boost their chances at winning the nomination.
The New Hampshire event will be called the First in the National Republican Leadership Summit, according to The Washington Post, and it will be held on April 17 and 18 in Nasua. The announcement of the summit comes shortly after the end of the anti-immigration reform King’s summit. Attendees at King’s Iowa summit included Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R), and former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) among others.
“It’s a great opportunity for our potential presidential candidates to come into the first-in-the-nation primary state and have an opportunity to meet over 600 of our engaged Republican activists at the same time,” New Hampshire GOP chairwoman Jennifer Horn said. “It’s an exciting kick-off to what’s going to happen over the next year. All comers are welcome.”
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has already indicated interest in attending the New Hampshire gathering, according to the Post. Bush was one of the few top tier potential GOP candidates who didn’t attend King’s summit.
“top tier potential GOP candidates”? Peter King and Ben Carson wouldn’t be in that tier. Rick Santorum came in 2nd in 2012. Would Daniel Strauss put him in that tier? Rick Perry came in 5th in IA and 6th in NH and dropped out before SC. Would he be “top tier”?
It’s nice that Iowa and New Hampshire continue to play such a big part in our political life because they are very representative of America in 2015.
Goody. Hope top tier candidate Palin loses the teleprompter in favor of a pre-recorded speech that she lip syncs to keep her on-script.
That would be the First in the Nation Republican Leadership Summit, or, as I like to think of it,
The Whiter Shade of Pale Summit: A Celebration of Republican Diversity
Each state should host such an event if only so that we can get a good opportunity to see these candidates in action. With a little planning, each candidate could give fifty speeches in the course of the next nine or ten months and then the debates could begin. Wouldn’t want to deprive any of these stalwart conservatives the exposure they deserve.