Very interesting indeed. None of the invitees have run for president before and they are all relatively new to the GOP playing field.
4 GOP hopefuls expected to attend Koch eventThe invitees are all potential 2016 presidential contenders.Four leading Republican presidential prospects are expected to appear this weekend in the California desert before an exclusive gathering of rich conservatives convened by the Koch brothers’ political operation, several sources tell POLITICO.
Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Marco Rubio of Florida, and Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin received coveted invitations to speak to the vaunted network assembled by the billionaire industrialist megadonors Charles and David Koch, the sources said.
The meeting, set to be held at a Palm Springs hotel, is the annual winter gathering of Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, the nonprofit group that oversees the network of fiscally conservative groups formed with help from the Kochs and their operatives.
None of the White House prospects invited to the meeting this weekend responded to questions about whether they planned to attend and, if so, what they planned to discuss. A spokesman for Freedom Partners declined to comment on the function, which is closed to the press.
It comes at a pivotal time for both the Koch network, which has become increasingly involved in partisan politics, and for the sprawling Republican presidential field, which some party insiders fear could be headed for a chaotic and costly primary.
Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney, both of whom are eyeing runs of their own, are considered the favorites of rich Republican donors from the party’s establishment wing, who traditionally have exerted great sway over presidential nominating fights.
But neither is necessarily a perfect fit for the donors and operatives in the Kochs’ expanding donor network, where small government, free-market policies tend to be valued over aggressive stances on military intervention or social issues. That could present an opening for prospective presidential hopefuls who have emphasized fiscal issues more than foreign policy, like Paul, Walker and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence...
...The seminars typically conclude with a fundraising session of sorts where donors pledge donations that can reach into the seven figures to support policy and political efforts discussed during the seminars. Freedom Partners, which was formed in late 2011, disseminates the cash among a host of groups in the network.
There’s a lot of discussion among donors and strategists within the Koch operation about whether to wade into the Republican presidential primary, according to an operative familiar with the operation.
“These funders just had a very successful cycle, and I imagine some of the folks want to go for the big enchilada,” said the operative, asserting the Koch network could have a major impact on the presidential race if it decided to engage heavily. “They are the most sophisticated operation, which would be a huge asset” for Republicans.
Read more:
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/koch-brothers-ted-cruz-rand-paul-marco-rubio-scott-walker-2016-elections-114386.html#ixzz3PNAKPghF
