The head of the Iowa GOP said Monday that Sen. Lindsey Graham is creating some buzz in the first-in-the-nation caucus state and making the sort of moves that would suggest the South Carolina Republican is serious about running for president in 2016.
“He is sure making all the motions,” Jeff Kaufmann, the state party chairman, told The Washington Times. “As an observer of what these folks are doing, he really looks like he is doing everything from the one-on-one meetings, to attending events and signing up staff that shows he is going to make a serious run at expanding his base here.”
Mr. Kaufmann said that Mr. Graham recently reached out to him about attending the Lincoln Dinner on May 16 in Des Moines and asked a lot about the lay of the land during their phone conversation over the phone.
Mr. Graham also has hired Tracie Gibler as a senior adviser to his “Security Through Strengthen” political action committee.
Mr. Kaufmann described Ms. Gibler as a seasoned and respected political operative.
“He is the person quite frankly who is attending the most small events,”Mr. Kaufmann. “He seems to over the last week to have moved into that category of definitely putting together his machinery and also introducing himself on a very personal level to several activists.”
Mr. Kaufmann said he knows that Mr. Graham is viewed as a long shot to win the party’s nomination, but said activists and elected leaders in the state have walked away from meetings with Mr. Graham pleasantly surprised.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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