Five potential Republican presidential candidates to attend Iowa forum

DES MOINES - Five potential candidates for the GOP presidential nomination will participate in an Iowa conservative Christian group's April cattle call.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jundal, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker have confirmed they will speak at the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition's 15th Annual Spring Kick-Off April 25 at Point of Grace Church in Waukee.

The coalition describes itself as a grass roots organization that works to educate and equip Christians for civic action and influence public policy that advances limited government, lower taxes and the sanctity of life and marriage.

In announcing the Kick-Off lineup, the coalition said it will be the first non-profit issue advocacy organization to sponsor such an event. It is intended to help coalition members gather information to help them decide who to support in Iowa's first-in-the-nation 2016 precinct caucuses.

It will be the third a series of unrelated cattle calls of potential GOP candidates. U.S. Rep. Steve King and Citizens United hosted several conservatives in January and Iowa businessman Bruce Rastetter is hosting an Ag Summit March 7 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

They're all welcome, according to Republican Gov. Terry Branstad. He said Monday he would like to see presidential candidates from both political parties visit Iowa often between now and Feb. 1 when Iowa is slated to hold its first in the nation precinct caucuses.

When Vice President Joe Biden was in Des Moines last week, Branstad invited him to join at least 10 GOP presidential hopefuls at the Ag Summit. Branstad also hoped former Secretary of State and first lady Hillary Clinton and other possible 2016 Democratic presidential candidates also would attend the March 7 forum.