Prominent speakers at the Iowa Freedom Summit

The Des Moines Register will be live streaming the Iowa Freedom Summit today. Go to DesMoinesRegister.com/FreedomSummitLive for live video of the speeches and to see all tweets and latest coverage from the Des Moines Register political team.

Ben Carson

Who he is: A best-selling book author who retired in 2013 as a pediatric neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He gained fame as a surgeon for his work to separate conjoined twins. He made a splash in conservative circles after he panned the Affordable Care Act in a speech at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast as President Barack Obama sat on stage just feet away.

Groundwork for the Iowa caucuses: He has done six events in Iowa over three days, including the upcoming summit, since the 2012 presidential election. Separately, a draft movement is organizing for Carson throughout the state. It's led in Iowa by two prominent Des Moines metro-area Republicans and North Carolina-based GOP activist Vernon Robinson.

Political message: "I feel that it's a matter of somebody speaking up for the rights of the people in America and looking out for the next generation," he told The Des Moines Register in an interview in November 2014. Carson pitches a message of personal responsibility and hard work. At a Family Leader fundraising banquet in Des Moines in November 2014, Carson called for a renewal of the principles of the founding fathers and support for the idea that the United States is a Judeo-Christian nation. He also insisted that efforts must be undertaken to improve the nation's education system, curb the federal deficit and reform the tax system.

Iowa polling: Carson had one of the highest rankings in an October 2014 Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Iowa Poll. Asked their top choices for the presidency, likely GOP caucusgoers ranked Mitt Romney No. 1, followed by Carson.





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Chris Christie

Who he is: Governor of New Jersey.

Groundwork for the Iowa caucuses: Christie has booked eight events in Iowa over four days, including the upcoming summit, since the 2012 presidential election. He appeared each time with Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and in his role as chairman of the Republican Governors Association, a fundraising and campaign group. Jeff Boeyink, Branstad's former chief of staff and campaign manager, has committed to Team Christie if he runs. Christie also made a brief appearance at Branstad's inaugural on Friday, but didn't hold any public events.

Political message: Christie has blamed Democratic President Barack Obama for a "vacuum of leadership." At an October 2014 fundraiser for Branstad's birthday, Christie said: "America used to control events both here at home and around the world. Now it seems that our fate is being dictated to us by others. ... Everyone knew where George W. Bush stood and who he stood with." In his State of the State address last week, he touted his record of capping local property tax growth and cutting government spending.

Iowa polling: Back in June 2014, when the Register's Iowa Poll asked likely GOP primary voters who has the best chance of being elected over the eventual Democratic presidential nominee, Christie led the pack. Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was No. 2, even though both Christie and Bush had the highest unfavorability ratings of the 11 Republicans tested. (Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney wasn't one of the 11.)

But in an October 2014 Register/Bloomberg Politics Iowa Poll, likely 2016 GOP caucusgoers picked Romney as their top choice for the nomination, followed by former neurosurgeon Ben Carson, and Christie ranked in the middle (eighth) of 16 tested. Bottom line: Iowa's most faithful GOP voters might have different answers when asked the potential candidate they like best vs. who has the best shot to win.

RELATED: 9 things we'll learn at the Iowa Freedom Summit





Ted Cruz

Who he is: U.S. senator from Texas.

Groundwork for the Iowa caucuses: Cruz has booked 11 events in Iowa over eight days, including the upcoming summit, since the 2012 presidential election. His latest visit was in September 2014. Recently, he hasn't engaged directly in 2016 activities, although he did send Christmas cards into Iowa.

Political message: Cruz includes Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, in his criticism of Democrats. "If you agree with the Obama-Clinton foreign policy where we have withdrawn from the world, and it has made the world a much, much more dangerous place, then you should vote for the Democrats." Faith is usually a central theme of Cruz's speeches in Iowa, along with family stories, including an account of his parents' alcoholism. He has said his dad left home when Cruz was 3 but came back after he became a Christian.

Iowa polling: In a question about favorable feelings, Cruz ranked ninth out of 11 Republicans tested, ahead of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, in the Register's June 2014 Iowa Poll of likely GOP primary voters. Thirty-eight percent viewed him positively, while another 36 percent were unsure. Fast-forward to October 2014, and 52 percent of likely caucusgoers — a slightly different pool of voters — viewed Cruz favorably and 30 percent were not sure. Cruz was ranked last of eight Republicans tested, tied with former Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum.





Carly Fiorina

Who she is: Fiorina was the first woman to lead a Fortune 50 company when she served as CEO of the computing giant HP from 1999 to 2005. In recent years, she has led nonprofit and philanthropic organizations and acted as chairman of the American Conservative Union advocacy group. She ran for the U.S. Senate in 2010, losing to incumbent Democrat Barbara Boxer.

Groundwork for the Iowa caucuses: In addition to her scheduled speech at Saturday's summit, she's appeared in Iowa a few times in recent years, including in 2014 as the head of Unlocking Potential, a political group working to build support among women for Republican candidates. She has said she'll decide whether to run for president in the spring.

Political message: Drawing on her work leading charitable organizations, Fiorina has argued that private entities with social missions are better equipped to solve major national and world problems — including access to health care, immigration and response to disease outbreaks — than government programs and bureaucracies. Her pitch to voters emphasizes her experience as a business executive and her leadership skills.

Iowa polling: Fiorina has not been included in any Iowa Polls so far.





Mike Huckabee

Who he is: A former governor of Arkansas and more recently host of a Fox News political show. He ran for president in 2008, and won the Iowa caucuses on the GOP side. He went on to claim victory in seven other states but lost the GOP nomination to John McCain. Huckabee chose not to seek the presidency in 2012.

Groundwork for the Iowa caucuses: Huckabee has booked eight events in Iowa over six days, including the upcoming summit, since the 2012 presidential election. In November 2014, Huckabee led evangelical leaders, including about 20 Iowans, on a 10-day trip with stops in the United States and abroad to demonstrate how Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher and Pope John Paul II were "human instruments God used to change the course of world history." Iowans who have been loyal to him since his 2008 presidential bid are working on organizing for him here.

Political message: Huckabee stresses that spiritual revival is the key to better government. "If God awakens this country spiritually, this country will elect the right people and they will do the right things," he said during a private meeting with Iowa pastors organized by the American Renewal Project in Cedar Rapids in August. Huckabee has said that as governor for 10 years, he lowered taxes, reformed education, built roads and reformed health care — but didn't "replace the Capitol dome with a steeple and trade in the legislative sessions for prayer meetings." His purpose for running wouldn't be to "impose some type of religious dogma on anybody," he said on "The O'Reilly Factor" on Jan. 9.

Iowa polling: Asked who has the best chance of beating the presidential candidate the Democrats choose, Huckabee ranked third behind Chris Christie and Jeb Bush in the Register's June 2014 Iowa Poll of likely GOP primary voters. In the October 2014 Register/Bloomberg Politics Iowa Poll of likely GOP caucusgoers, Huckabee had the fourth-highest favorability rating, after Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney and Rick Perry.





Rick Perry

Who he is: Governor of Texas.

Groundwork for the Iowa caucuses: Perry has booked more than 24 events in Iowa over 12 days, including the upcoming summit, since the 2012 presidential election. He stumped for a lengthy list of local GOP candidates before the fall elections, and has done fundraisers for 16 county GOP organizations. This Iowa trip will span three days, and will combine public and private events.

Political message: "Gov. Perry will likely talk about the successful economic model developed in Texas, which helped create almost one-third of all private sector jobs in America since 2007, his unparalleled experience in securing America's borders, and what it will take to re-establish America's leadership in the world," his Iowa adviser, Robert Haus, told the Register. Over the summer, Perry's speeches touched on cracking down on illegal immigration. He said if the federal government didn't send more troops and aid to secure the U.S. border with Mexico, the state of Texas would act unilaterally. Another typical theme of his Iowa speeches: The next president should be focused on returning power over economic and social issues to the states.

Iowa polling: Asked who has the best chance of beating the eventual 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, Perry ranked seventh out of 11 Republicans tested in the Register's June 2014 Iowa Poll of likely GOP primary voters. He had the third-highest favorability rating among eight Republicans in an October 2014 Register/Bloomberg Politics Iowa Poll of likely GOP caucusgoers.





Rick Santorum

Who he is: A former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, and the Republican winner of the 2012 Iowa caucuses.

Groundwork for the Iowa caucuses: Santorum has booked more than 25 events in Iowa over 17 days since the 2012 presidential election. He's here for five days this trip, and his schedule includes the Freedom Summit, a Renewable Fuels Association conference, a Cherokee County GOP event, a Scott County GOP event, and stops in Sioux City, Williamsburg and Harrison County. Earlier this year, Santorum campaigned on behalf of 2014 candidates, did a fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Steve King and held many private meetings with Iowa conservatives.

Political message: Santorum plans to talk about "the need to stand up for hardworking families" and helping to "restore the American dream and economic opportunity for so many Americans who have simply been ignored by both parties," Matthew Beynon, an adviser to Santorum, told the Register.

Iowa polling: His popularity here has weakened since his caucus victory. Asked who has the best chance of beating the presidential candidate the Democrats choose, Santorum ranked 10th out of 11 Republicans tested in the Register's June 2014 Iowa Poll of likely GOP primary voters. And Santorum had the lowest favorability rating among eight Republicans tested in an October 2014 Register/Bloomberg Politics Iowa Poll of likely GOP caucusgoers. Still, 52 percent of likely caucusgoers had a positive view of him (Paul Ryan ranked highest at 75 percent), while 30 percent had an unfavorable view.

RELATED: 9 things we'll learn at the Iowa Freedom Summit

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Scott Walker

Who he is: Governor of Wisconsin.

Groundwork for the Iowa caucuses: He concentrated in 2014 on his re-election in Wisconsin, and has done just two public events in Iowa since the 2012 presidential election. But Walker has Iowa ties — he lived in northeast Iowa for seven years as a youth, when his father was pastor of a church in Plainfield. The family moved to Wisconsin when Walker was 10. The Iowa Freedom Summit will be his only event during this Iowa trip.

Political message: "Governor Walker looks forward to sharing the story of Wisconsin's successful reforms and describing how the states are getting things done by instituting bold, decisive change. There is a clear contrast between the innovation we're seeing in places like Wisconsin and the gridlock coming out of Washington, D.C.," Walker campaign spokesman Tom Evenson told the Register.

Iowa polling: Walker ranked dead last in both favorability rating and perceived likelihood of beating the Democrats' presidential candidate back in a June 2014 Iowa Poll of likely GOP primary voters. He wasn't tested in the Register/Bloomberg Politics Iowa Poll in October 2014, when he was downplaying his interest in a 2016 presidential bid. "I want to be a governor," Walker told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in October 2014. "I've had to run three times in four years, so it's pretty crazy to not want to continue to be governor."





Other prominent speakers

Steve King: The summit co-host was just re-elected to his seventh term in Congress, representing Iowa's 4th District, which spans northwestern and north central Iowa. He commands national attention among social conservatives and the tea party wing of the party, and is a leader among staunch opponents of a path to citizenship for those who crossed the border illegally. He is sought out by potential Republican presidential candidates because of his standing among social conservatives and his sway in the most heavily Republican part of the state.

Sarah Palin: The 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee and former governor of Alaska has retained prominence as an author and Fox News contributor. She also endorses and raises money for candidates through SarahPAC.

Donald Trump: The real estate mogul and TV personality regularly flirts with the idea of running for president, but has never taken the plunge. He was last in Iowa in October to support summit co-host Steve King's successful re-election to Congress. At the time, he said he would weigh the results of the November elections, and would "make a decision sometime after the beginning of the year" about a presidential run.

Newt Gingrich: The former U.S. speaker of the House and architect of the 1994 "Contract with America" ran for president in the 2012 cycle and finished fourth in the Iowa caucuses, behind Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul. He remains in the public eye as a speaker, CNN contributor and author of more than 25 books.

Jim DeMint: The former U.S. senator from South Carolina is president of the Heritage Foundation, a leading conservative think tank.

The Iowa contingent: Both of Iowa's U.S. senators, 34-year veteran Chuck Grassley and newly sworn-in Joni Ernst, will speak, as will Gov. Terry Branstad, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and Rod Blum, the newly elected congressman in the 1st District, in eastern Iowa.





A busy day at the Iowa Freedom Summit

Event organizers said all 23 speakers will get equal time to speak: 20 minutes. The order will be determined by the speakers' schedules and when they'll be arriving and departing Des Moines.

It'll be a long day. With 23 speakers allotted 20 minutes each, attendees are in for seven hours and 40 minutes of scheduled remarks, and that's if each one follows the rules. Add in convocations, introductions, a lunch break and benedictions, the event is sure to stretch well into the evening.

But if you want to attend, you'd better already have your ticket. The free event is at capacity, and a waiting list for admission already tops 800 names.





RELATED: 9 things we'll learn at the Iowa Freedom Summit



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