Less than a year ago, with the
retirement of Iowa's Democrat Senator Chuck Grassley, pundits and
politicians were mourning the prospective loss of the Iowa Steak Fry. The Steak Fry initiated by Grassley in 1972 became a
launching pad for democrat presidential and vice-presidential careers. Over its 43
year tenure, candidates came out to mingle with middle America, and Bill
Clinton became its most featured guest.
With the loss of Grassley's senior stature
and an increasing number of democrat and moderate republican candidates openly
weighing whether to avoid campaigning in Iowa, Iowa needed a marketing jolt to
maintain its electoral relevance.
Enter Jodi Ernst, Iowa's republican first
term first female senator.
Crashing in on the democrat
moniker and Grassley's goodwill, Ernst launched her first Roast and Ride Fest
on Saturday. Sure enough, six republican presidential hopefuls made the very
most of the fine Iowa day. Governors Walker and Perry rode in on Harleys,
Senator Rubio, from Florida, offered to take on his competitors on a jet ski,
and Carly Fiorina, the industrialist, rode in on a John Deere tractor, a homage
to American manufacturing. From the buzz created at the event, CNN concluded
that the Roast and Ride "promised
to become a must-stop on the path to the 2016 presidential race."
Senator Ernst, a farmer and
combat veteran of the Kuwait and Iraq Wars, won her seat in the 2014 election
cycle. Along with Ernst, Shelly Moore Caputo, secured a senate seat for
republicans in West Virginia. In the House, spearheaded by GOP Conference Chair
Cathy Morris Rodgers, republicans gained five seats for women. Although, women
are still a minority on Capitol Hill, Chairwoman Rogers has increased female
representation in House leadership to 50%.
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