Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be the featured guest at retiring Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin's annual steak fry fundraiser, an event famed as a launching pad for Democratic presidential candidates. UPI/Jim Ruymen |
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IOWA CITY, Iowa, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Hillary Clinton will be the guest of honor at retiring Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin's annual steak fry fundraiser on September 14th, an event famous for being a launching pad for political candidates announcing presidential campaigns.
It will be Clinton's first time in the state since her 2007 appearance to campaign in advance of the 2008 caucuses, where she came in third. But the former secretary of state is now the front-runner in early polls for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Clinton has shied away from campaigning since leaving her post at the State Department; instead she spent time promoting her memoir, Hard Choices, and attended speaking engagements to raise money for the Clinton Foundation.
According to Clinton's spokesman, Nick Merrill, the former first lady is "looking forward to campaigning for her Democratic friends and colleagues" to "help raise money for important races in Iowa."
Many have eagerly anticipated her return to the political arena in support of Democrats on the campaign trail ahead of the upcoming mid-term elections. Some speculate that Clinton will announce that she will run at Harkin's 37th.
Harkin said he was unaware of Clinton's political plans at this point, but added that he will "support Hillary for anything she wants to do."
According to Business Week, Bonnie Campbell, Iowa chair of the Clinton campaign, said she will attend the fundraiser "because the process starts here. She's a pragmatic person."
Despite the fact that Clinton hasn't visited the state since her defeat in the 2008 presidential caucuses, Politico reports the super-PAC Ready For Hillary has been working for months to engage voters and volunteers in anticipation of her return.
