WASHINGTON — Scott Walker’s Our American Revival (OAR) leadership team is finding fresh help from GOP officials in the key state of Iowa.
The Wisconsin governor’s team boasted in recent press releases about receiving support from four Republican state senators as well as two GOP county officials. Like other Republicans carefully eyeing a potential 2016 run, Walker is shoring up his team around the Hawkeye state as political observers begin to count down to the Iowa straw poll and the state caucuses.
State Senators Brad Zaun, Randy Feenstra, Dan Zumbach, and Tom Shipley pledged their support to Walker’s OAR team. Walker described the senators as sharing “a commitment to making this country stronger and returning [the country] to the core values that have made it so great.”
“I’m extremely impressed with Governor Walker’s commitment to promote policies that restore power to the states and their people. Essential to that effort is leadership and a grassroots movement that will work together to limit the size and scope of the federal government,” said Zaun, a former Urbandale mayor elected to his third Senate term in 2012. “Our American Revival is all about getting back to the wisdom of the Founding Fathers so we can once again emphasize the values that make our country great.”
Dallas County Recorder Chad Airhart, a Waukee Republican serving his second term, is the chairman of the Iowa Republican County Officials Association (IRCOA). Marshall County Treasurer Jarret Heil, a Marshalltown Republican, was elected to his second term in 2014. He is IRCOA’s co-chairman, which represents approximately 550 officials statewide, across the state.
“Chad Airhart and Jarret Heil are respected government officials and party activists who’ve accomplished so much on behalf of their local communities in such a short amount of time,” Walker said in a statement. “They’ve been elected to leadership positions by their peers because they’re committed to delivering efficient, effective services at the most local level of representative government.”
Airhart and Heil say they decided to support Our American Revival because of Walker’s experience as Wisconsin’s governor as well as his experience as a Milwaukee County executive.
Walker placed second in the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) straw poll in February — only a few points behind Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. The CPAC audience loudly embraced Walker when he spoke at the event. He came to CPAC after visiting potential high dollar donors in New York City.
The Wisconsin governor will be attending the annual Iowa Agriculture Summit on Saturday. Other potential 2016 GOP candidates planning to attend the Ag Summit are former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum; Texas Sen. Ted Cruz; former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush; former Texas Gov. Rick Perry; and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Florida Senator Marco Rubio told The Des Moines Register he will not be able to attend but may send a video.
