Iowa caucus presidential campaigning to ramp up with busy July

Presidential campaigning in Iowa promises to ramp up dramatically in mid-July as candidates flock to the state for marquee events with the Family Leader and the Republican Party of Iowa.

As Republican candidates travel to Iowa for these major "cattle calls," expect them to pad out their schedules with additional solo events across the state as well, making for a crowded and chaotic month of politicking.

With the exception of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, every declared Republican candidate is set to appear in Iowa at some point over the next three weeks.

Here’s a look at what to expect as the candidates hit the state in earnest.

More: Where are presidential candidates in Iowa? Follow the Register's 2024 caucus tracker

The Family Leadership Summit focuses on powerful Iowa evangelicals

The influential Christian conservative organization led by Bob Vander Plaats is set to host its signature summer event July 14 in Des Moines.

Former Fox News personality Tucker Carlson will emcee the event, conducting a series of on-stage one-on-one interviews with presidential candidates and other leaders.

Presidential candidates who are confirmed to attend include:

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

• Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley

• Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson

• Former Vice President Mike Pence

• U.S. Sen. Tim Scott

• Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy

Noticeably missing so far is former President Donald Trump, who has a commanding lead in national polls.

The event draws hundreds of evangelicals from across the state — perhaps the most influential group in Iowa’s GOP caucuses.

And it will follow a week in which the Iowa Legislature will convene a special session to take action on restricting abortion in the state. The candidates will likely discuss the outcome as they seek to win support from this key constituency.

How to go: Doors open at the Community Choice Credit Union in Des Moines at 8 a.m. The program begins at 9 a.m., and interviews with presidential candidates will be scattered throughout the day-long program. General admission tickets can be purchased on the Family Leader website and cost $99.

‘Operation Top Nunn’ draws DeSantis for veterans-focused event

U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn is hosting his first major congressional fundraiser July 15, the day after the Family Leadership Summit.

It’s a veterans-focused event he’s calling “Operation Top Nunn: A Salute to the Troops,” a play on the blockbuster “Top Gun” movie franchise. Nunn is a U.S. Air Force veteran.

Headlining the event are DeSantis and Iowa’s U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, both of whom are also veterans.

It’s likely to be a smaller event than the major cattle calls, but it gives DeSantis an open stage with a couple of Iowa’s top elected Republicans. And you can bet the national TV crews are likely to stick around after the Family Leadership Summit to catch the action.

How to go: The event will run from 1-3 p.m. at the Ankeny Regional Airport July 15. Individual tickets cost $24 and can be purchased online. A portion of the ticket sales will go to Iowa veterans charity Salute to the Fallen.

The Iowa GOP’s Lincoln Dinner draws both Trump and DeSantis

For the first time in Iowa, the two GOP front-runners will attend the same event.

DeSantis and Trump are set to join 11 others at the Republican Party of Iowa’s annual Lincoln Dinner July 28.

The two men have repeatedly held dueling Iowa events, creating split-screen moments that all but ensure the media is talking about both of them.

• In March, they attended a pair of events in Davenport scheduled just days apart.

• In May, they were scheduled to attend competing Iowa events, though Trump canceled his planned rally because of inclement weather.

• And later that month, Trump scheduled a Fox News town hall in Des Moines the day after DeSantis made his first Iowa swing as a declared presidential candidate.

But Trump has shied away from the group political events that draw multiple speakers, opting instead to attend solo events where he can command the spotlight on his own.

The Iowa GOP’s Lincoln Dinner will be Trump’s first Iowa cattle call of the year, and it will likely put him and DeSantis in the same room for the first time this cycle.

The full event lineup includes every declared presidential candidate except for Christie, who has focused his campaigning in New Hampshire.

According to the party, Christie wasn’t invited to the Lincoln Dinner because he didn’t meet its main criteria of campaigning in Iowa and hiring staff here.

The speaker list includes:

• Trump

• DeSantis

• Pence

• Haley

• Scott

• Ramaswamy

• Hutchinson

• Radio personality Larry Elder

• Businessman Perry Johnson

• North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum

• Miami Mayor Francis Suarez

• Pastor and businessman Ryan Binkley

• Former U.S. Rep. Will Hurd

How to go: The dinner program runs from 5:45 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Doors will open at 4 p.m. Individual tickets cost $150 and are available on the Iowa GOP’s website.

No rest for the weary: The Iowa State Fair is just around the corner

So you’ve made it through July? Don’t hit pause just yet.

The Iowa State Fair is scheduled to run from Aug. 10-20 in Des Moines and is always a major draw for White House hopefuls.

The Des Moines Register will once again host its State Fair Soapbox, offering every candidate a forum to interact with potential caucusgoers.

And Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is a State Fair staple, so expect to see her touring the livestock barns and flipping pork chops with would-be presidents.

Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Busy July will bring GOP presidential candidates flocking to Iowa