Palin may be testing Iowa waters while hosting key fundraiser

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) will travel to Iowa in September for a key GOP fundraiser.

Palin will be the keynote speaker at the Iowa GOP’s annual Ronald Reagan Dinner, according to local reports, a visible stop for any Republican candidate who might be considering a run for the White House.

The Sept. 17 visit may be seen by many as an attempt to test the waters by Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate whose name is frequently among the crowd of other potential Republican candidates to challenge President Obama in two years.

Palin said Monday night on Fox News that she’s not focused on her own political future, but rather is focused on helping elect conservative Republicans during this fall’s midterm elections.

Other potential Republican candidates have already begun to make their presence known in Iowa, the state that plays home to the first-in-the-country nominating contest.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) has traveled there several times, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) plans to travel there this fall. Other candidates, like House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind.) and former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) have also visited the Hawkeye State.