Zaun Plans Big Holiday Event on the 28th
- Friday, December 18, 2009, 4:30
- Iowa, News Center
- 865 views
- 19 comments
As the end of the year approaches, candidates up and down the ballot are trying to raise as much money as possible for their year end reports. While this is true for every campaign, it’s even more important for gubernatorial and congressional campaigns. The fundraising numbers for each gubernatorial candidate will surely be big news, but so will the battle between the five congressional candidates in Iowa’s third district.
On Wednesday, TheIowaRepublican.com reported on a large kickoff fundraiser for Jim Gibbons that was hosted by Denny Elwell. Gibbons had 85 people on his host committee, which included some of the biggest Republican donors in the state. Last night, TheIowaRepublican.com received a copy of Brad Zaun’s host committee list. On it are more than 100 people, including many familiar names.
Zaun’s host committee contains the name of five State Senators and a number of Senate staffers. It includes Sen. Jerry Behn, who is also running for governor, and Senate Minority Leader Paul McKinley. Also supporting Zaun are a handful of State Representatives and two members of the Republican State Central Committee, including National Committeeman Steve Scheffler and Wes Enos, who represents the third district on the SCC and is Bob Vander Plaats’ Political Director.
Both Zaun and Gibbons have been impressive with their initial fundraising events. It is obvious that Gibbons has been able to impress a number of stalwart Republican donors, while Zaun is supported by his colleagues in the Senate and the people who know him the best. With the third district primary shaping up to be a knock-down drag-out fight, the Republican Party is already a winner by having such a strong field of candidates emerge to challenge Congressman Boswell.
Zaun’s holiday party is being held at Christopher’s restaurant in Des Moines on December 28th. The host committee list is posted below.
Update: Steve Scheffler confirmed to TheIowaReublican.com that he was asked to be listed on the host committee at no charge. Scheffler wanted to make it clear that he is not endorsing any candidate. TheIowaRepublican.com has also talked to another member of the host committee who has not asked to be listed or was even aware that the event was taking place.
About the Author
Craig Robinson has written 503 stories on this site.
Craig Robinson serves as the founder and Editor-in-Chief of TheIowaRepublican.com. Prior to founding Iowa's largest conservative news site, Robinson served as the Political Director of the Republican Party of Iowa during the 2008 Iowa Caucuses. In that capacity, Robinson planned and organized the largest political event in 2007, the Iowa Straw Poll, in Ames, Iowa. Robinson also organized the 2008 Republican caucuses in Iowa, and was later dispatched to Nevada to help with the caucuses there. Robinson cut his teeth in Iowa politics during the 2000 caucus campaign of businessman Steve Forbes and has been involved with most major campaigns in the state since then. His extensive political background and rolodex give him a unique perspective from which to monitor the political pulse of Iowa.
19 Comments on “Zaun Plans Big Holiday Event on the 28th”
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Why is Mr. Zaun naming people with out their permission as members of his host committee for this event? Is he lining up supporters and using others credibility with out their permission to compensate for having difficulty lining up legitimite doners and supporters? Using others names and credibility wis a bad thing no matter who or why it was done.
GSP, I have been on many host lists over the years for many candidates, and whenever an opposing campaign calls me about it, or ANY blogger, I always say “I know nothing about it”. To be honest, it is no ones business but the committee member, and many I know feel the same way. I do understand the Gibbons host committee may have exactly the same issue going on as described, as has every campaign I can ever remember, but unless widespread fraud is alleged, this is a non-issue for any of the campaigns.
Mirage…
That is probably the biggest line of crap I’ve ever heard in my life. Someone doesn’t put their name on a host committee list if they don’t want people to know its there.
Hawk..sorry…if an opposing candidate is calling for info….im like a lot of people, its NONE of their business. period.
Yes..Craig Robinson is an opposing candidate.. Do you realize just how DUMB you’re making the Zaun campaign look?
Its really looking like he’s got a bunch of amateurs over there running his show…quite pathetic really…
hawk..is it true?…is your candidate Gibbons going to release a statement today critical of Boswell for only raising the debt limit $300 billion dollars, when Gibbons wanted to raise it $625 billion last week…..are you kidding me?
hawk you would be familiar with the definition of amateur, for your Gibbons campaign to one week release a proposal to add to the federal deficit $625 billion dollars, and the VERY next week call Boswell’s spending reckless and out of control for holding that to $300 billion.
what a GREAT campaign ad for for any opponent to use against Gibbons. what is that sound?…oh…implosion.
mirage, you look like a fool. You would be better off not blogging and just cooking dinner for Brad and the kids. My reading of Gibbons is that he proposed a tax cut paid for by already appropriated federal dollars. And that he is also opposed to the increased debt ceiling which allows more spending. That to me sounds like something Republicans should support. This Republican does.
mirage, it is humorous to see you use the word implosion in describing someone else. Pot meet kettle. Just try to not be so negative. Your husband has a nice story here on TIR about his holiday party. Go mix up a batch of egg nog and enjoy your Iowa Senate state employee reunion at Christophers.
mirage, I am open to supporting Zaun but your comments here make me very queasy. Whether you are his wife or a campaign worker, please stop. Your actions make his campaign look very bad.
wow..the desperation from the Gibbons campaign is incredible tonight! guess they didn’t like their campaign today coming out blasting Boswell for raising the debt ceiling more than $300 million dollars, when the week before Gibbons proposed raising it $625 billion!!! …more than DOUBLE Boswell…….how incredibly dumb…..does the right hand of that campaign know what the left hand is doing?
That is going to be a GREAT campaign ad……if you don’t like Boswell’s spending, you are gonna hate Gibbons…cause he wants to spend DOUBLE!
I wonder how many on this list approved their being on the host committee?
I wonder how many on this list made a donation to the campaign?
I wonder how many on this list Sen. Zaun can affect their jobs (aka employees or consultants)?
I wonder how many on this list are family?
Lots of questions….
The Zaun campaign where the supports call Zaun’s constituents names and don’t feel bad about it.
seems like u are very jealous wonders…many of those same questions apply to Gibbons host list, or any campaign host list. don’t continue to be foolish wonders….by the way, is the Gibbons campaign supporting your lies, foolish posts, and dumb personal attacks? is that the desperation of your campaign right now….to attack the clear front runner Zaun? believe me, people are reading your slime attacks, sick of it, and turning away from your foolish statements by the minute. keep it up….u are so making this a runaway. ask the REAL question….
how are my children and grandchildren going to afford the Gibbons proposal to raise the federal debt limit and spending by $625 billion dollars. Why does Gibbons propose to spend double what Boswell wants to?
A runway?? Only in your mind, Mirage…
You notice that you’re the only one on this blog who even remotely supports Zaun? Did you happen to notice that Gibbons has already gotten the endorsement of the last Republican to hold this office…as well as some of the biggest Republican donors in the state?
As I’ve stated to you before..you’re Gibbons best campaigner…as on a daily basis, you make Brad Zaun’s campaign look petty and amateur. Arrogance is a killer in politics..and you’re doin a bang up job of being arrogant on Zaun’s behalf.
When you’re presented with the facts about Zaun’s record…you call them lies. Dude.. the votes are there for all to see…if Zaun wants to run away from his voting record…well..that only proves what a weak candidate he is in the first place.
wow hawk is your head in the sand. the Ganske endorsement?…only once again shows Gibbons is NO conservative and does not have any strong support with current elected officals….maybe Gibbons and you and the campaign can go back and find a few more officials that have been out of office for years and years to tout.
Sorry you dont like facts Hawk, but it is so easy to see you are scared and desperate with the whining posts and lies you put here every day to tear down another candidate and their supporters.
Try being positve and focus on Boswell…it will make you look much less like a obedient Gibbons campaign minion daily.
how are my children and grandchildren going to afford the Gibbons proposal to raise the federal debt limit and spending by $625 billion dollars. Why does Gibbons propose to spend double what Boswell wants to?
btw…is Boswell going to keep avoiding Iowa, and not have town hall meetings for months on end?….how are we in Iowa supposed to talk to Boswell about his failed policies?
Just noticed Ted Sporer was on Zaun’s host list. Interesting.
desmoinesdem, what is even more interesting to me is the former co workers of Zaun’s opponent and former all american wrestler at ISU that are now supporting Zaun. wouldn’t that be GREAT to know exactly why……..