Possible 2024 GOP contender Nikki Haley comes to Iowa

Happy Friday, and welcome to the beginning of July.

We'll likely see campaigning for the 2022 election begin to heat up after the 4th of July holiday next week — but the parade of 2024 presidential hopefuls is already well underway.

Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley said Thursday in Sioux Center that she'll run for president in 2024 "if there's a place for me."

She spoke this week at several events for Iowa Republicans, including a fundraiser yesterday for U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra. Read my colleague Brianne Pfannenstiel's story here.

Haley isn't the only potential 2024 Republican contender to visit Iowa — Mike Pence and Tim Scott have both visited recently as well. But the biggest question is what former President Donald Trump will do.

Haley, who criticized Trump's leadership after the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot, brushed off a question about evidence uncovered by a congressional committee about his actions that day.

Her more recent embrace of Trump highlights the difficult road Republicans must navigate as they consider seeking the White House under Trump's shadow.

Roast and Ride returns

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst has announced the return of her annual Roast and Ride event this October after a brief hiatus in 2021 — this time with a new twist. Ernst, who is a retired lieutenant colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard, will host a military ruck, or a march made with a weighted rucksack. Not your thing? There will still be the traditional pig roast, motorcycle ride and, we're guessing, a potential 2024 contender or two. Stay tuned for a speaker lineup.

This is Stephen, looking forward to visiting family this holiday weekend. Send your 2024 Republican presidential predictions to sgrubermil@registermedia.com. And enjoy the 4th of July weekend! This newsletter will hit your inboxes again on Tuesday. Subscribe here if you haven't already.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Possible 2024 GOP contender Nikki Haley comes to Iowa