Nicole Gaudiano,

Gannett Washington Bureau

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is hitting all the familiar campaign stops as he considers whether to run for president in 2016.

WASHINGTON – First, he traveled to New Hampshire. Now he's bound for Iowa.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is hitting all the familiar campaign stops as he considers whether to run for president in 2016.

Sanders will be the main dinner speaker on May 17 at the "Hall of Fame Dinner for 2014" hosted by Democrats in Clinton County, Iowa. The event is described as the year's main county Democratic fundraiser.

On Thursday, the Progressive Democrats of America will hold its first organizing meeting in Iowa for the "Draft Bernie Sanders for President" campaign, according to several Iowa newspapers. Attendees may sign a petition urging Sanders to run as a Democrat, volunteer to work on his campaign or buy tickets for his Clinton County speech. The petition is posted on the group's web site.

Sanders, who spoke last month at a New Hampshire town hall meeting, has said he would need a strong grassroots movement backing him if he runs. He hasn't said if he would run as an independent or a Democrat.

Sanders will participate in other events this weekend with Progressive Democrats of America at First Churches of Northampton in Massachusetts. On Friday night, he will take questions at a public event with Nation Magazine and MSNBC contributor John Nichols focused on the "Remaking of American Politics." On Saturday, he will speak at an event honoring the memory of PDA national director Tim Carpenter. Speakers at the all-day event will discuss ways to build the progressive movement.

Contact Nicole Gaudiano at ngaudiano@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ngaudiano.