Illinois Republican Party

Illinois GOP plans Reagan centennial fundraiser
1/3/2011

By Rick Pearson - Chicago Tribune

The Illinois Republican Party is hoping to use the upcoming centennial anniversary of President Ronald Reagan’s birth and a developing 2012 race for the White House to generate campaign cash at an event next month.

So far, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton and Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., have confirmed their appearance at the state GOP’s fundraising salute to the Illinois-born Reagan at a Chicago hotel on Feb. 5—the day before the late president’s birthday, officials said.

GOP officials said they’ve also invited former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., as potential 2012 candidates for the Republican presidential nomination.

Fundraising tickets start at $100 to listen to speeches and go all the way up to $20,000 for a table of 10 people at a private reception featuring photos with the possible candidates.

Republican organizations in other states have traditionally held Reagan dinners as fundraising events to get their base motivated and feature potential candidates. One major Reagan dinner is in neighboring Iowa, home of the nation’s first presidential caucuses, where Palin was the featured speaker last September.

SOURCE: Chicago Tribune
ReaganCentury.com

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