Bevin, Cotton to attend Branstad Birthday Bash

DES MOINES - Two rising stars in the Republican Party are to be the featured guests later this month when Gov. Terry Branstad holds his annual 'birthday bash” fundraiser in Altoona.

Branstad, who turns 70 on Nov. 17, announced Friday that Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin and Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton plan to be on hand for the birthday celebration at Adventureland Park Palace Theater in Altoona on Saturday, Nov. 19.

Bevin is a Kentucky businessman who cut his political teeth by unsuccessfully challenging U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in a 2014 GOP primary but went on to run a winning campaign for governor of Kentucky when he was elected to that office in November 2015.

Cotton, 39, the youngest member of the U.S. Senate, is no stranger to Iowa Republicans, having attended GOP fundraising events in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines and campaigned for GOP candidates in Iowa during the just-completed 2016 election cycle.

Cotton serves on the Senate Banking, Intelligence and Armed Services committees. An Army veteran, he received the Bronze Star for service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Previous guests at Branstad's family-friendly Birthday Bash events have included the 2012 GOP presidential field (minus Mitt Romney), Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, then-Congressman and current U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Tickets for the event start at $50 and can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/governor-branstads-birthday-bash-tickets-28603583087.