Political celebrities join final campaign push

DES MOINES - A former president. The current vice president. Presidential hopefuls galore.

They're all beating a path to Iowa in the coming week.

With the midterm election campaign nearing its final week, and an open seat in the U.S. Senate seemingly up for grabs, luminaries from both parties are flooding Iowa to help out their candidates.

Democrat Bruce Braley and Republican Joni Ernst plan to hit the campaign trail hard in its final days; both will have company.

Braley will be joined this week by former President Bill Clinton, his wife and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who also just happens to be the perceived front-runner among Democrats considering a presidential run in 2016, and current Vice President Joe Biden.

'Having people like the vice president and Secretary Clinton and President Clinton come in shines the spotlight on why it's important to vote and educate yourself on the issues at stake in this election,” Braley said Friday at a campaign event at a Des Moines labor hall. 'They can help talk about the clear contrast in this election between Sen. Ernst and Bruce Braley.”

Ernst's campaign spokeswoman said Ernst will be joined at various times by U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Marco Rubio of Florida and John McCain of Arizona as she holds 42 events over the next six days.

'Joni has the most aggressive schedule of any candidate running in Iowa,” Ernst spokeswoman Gretchen Hamel said. 'Congressman Braley will be hard pressed to outwork this southwest Iowa farm girl.”

The U.S. Senate race is not the only active race in the coming week. Republican Gov. Terry Branstad and Democratic challenger Jack Hatch also are in the midst of their final pushes.

Among the many campaign events that will be held in the coming days:

' Bill Clinton will campaign with Braley on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 1, in Des Moines and then later that evening in Waterloo at Braley's annual 'Bruce, Blues and BBQ” fundraiser. The details for Hillary Clinton's return to Iowa have not yet been released.

The former first couple was just in Iowa in September when they spoke at retiring U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin's annual 'Steak Fry” fundraiser.

' Biden will join Braley on Monday in Davenport to encourage Democrats to vote early. Biden, who has not ruled out a run for president in 2016, has been in Iowa multiple times in recent weeks, including an appearance with the 'Nuns on the Bus” tour in Des Moines.

' Rubio will join Ernst on Tuesday for campaign events in Pella and at the Scott County GOP Reagan Dinner. McCain will campaign with Ernst through seven events in one day Wednesday. Among them is a visit to the Coralville American Legion.

' Democrats are doing a 99-county sweep of the state on Sunday. Biden, Braley and Harkin will lead a team of candidates, party officials and surrogates who will collectively attend events in all 99 Iowa counties throughout the day.

' Branstad's re-election campaign is making 42 stops over the final 12 days. The headlining event this weekend is his annual birthday bash on Saturday in Clive, where he will be joined by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

' Hatch just completed his 99-county tour and said his campaign plans to make 50 stops over the final 11 days.

' U.S. House Speaker John Boehner will campaign in Eastern Iowa with U.S. House candidates Rod Blum in the 1st Congressional District and Mariannette Miller-Meeks in the 2nd District. The Miller-Meeks event will be Monday at Scott County Republican Headquarters in Davenport.

' Christie also will attend the annual pheasant hunt fundraiser hosted by Iowa 4th District U.S. Rep. Steve King, as will U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas.