Jennifer Jacobs

jejacobs@dmreg.com

A western Iowa Republican reports that U.S. Sen. Rand Paul telephoned him today to say he's "seriously looking at a presidential run."

Paul had a 10-minute private conversation with Pottawattamie County GOP Chairman Jeff Jorgensen this morning.

"He said he was calling to let Pottawattamie County Republicans know he was seriously looking at a presidential run in 2016," Jorgensen posted in a message to friends on Facebook.

Jorgensen added: "He said Pottawattamie County will play a very important role in his overall Iowa campaign strategy. He's looking to get western Iowa grassroots activists involved while expanding his base of support across the whole state."

Iowa has been a draw for an array of buzzed-about possible White House aspirants. The Des Moines Register was the first to report in early April that Paul, a Kentucky senator and the son of 2012 presidential candidate Ron Paul, will next be in Iowa for the Republicans' state convention on June 14. Two other potential 2016 candidates will be at the convention, too - Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry has been here twice this cycle and will return on Thursday, May 29 to campaign for Gov. Terry Branstad and U.S. Senate candidate Matt Whitaker. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will do two fundraisers for Branstad soon, one on May 28 and one tentatively set for July.

Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan made his second trip to Iowa this cycle for a state GOP fundraiser on April 11. And Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz made his fourth visit on March 18. Keeping their distance but still getting their names in the mix are Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who endorsed Iowa U.S. Senate candidate Joni Ernst; and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who is hosting a fundraiser for Branstad in Coral Gables on May 22.

Jorgensen wrote that Paul told him he'd like to come back to Iowa in August. "He asked if Pottawattamie County would host an event for him if he were to tour the state at that time. I said yes, most certainly."

The next big event for the Pottawattamie County GOP is its annual Lincoln/Reagan Day Dinner next Wednesday at Iowa Western Community College's student center. For more information, email pottawattamie.gop@gmail.com.