CEDAR CITY — Iron County Republicans now have not one but two former U.S. presidential candidates lined up to appear at their party’s annual Lincoln Day fundraising dinner.
Ron Paul and Mitt Romney, who vied against each other for the GOP nomination to run against Pres. Barack Obama in 2012, are both scheduled to appear at the Cedar City event Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Great Hall in the Hunter Conference Center on the Southern Utah University campus.
Paul is the event’s keynote speaker, while Romney will be attending as one of a number of political candidates seeking a spot on Utah’s GOP primary election ballot in June. Iron County GOP officials confirmed Tuesday that Romney plans to be in attendance.
Tickets to the event are nearly sold out, but a few seats remain as of late Tuesday afternoon, organizers said. Seats may be reserved by calling Iron County GOP secretary Brad Green at 801-980-1776 or by emailing [email protected]. Tickets are $100 per plate or $1,000 per table.
“Only those with seats reserved will be able to see the speakers, as (the speeches) will happen during the dinner,” Green said, adding that members of the public are also welcome to attend a free “meet the candidates” event starting at 5 p.m., prior to the start of the dinner.
Paul is scheduled to be introduced by Dave Bateman, CEO of the Lehi-based software firm Entrata. Bateman is also scheduled to give brief remarks.
Paul, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas, finished fourth in the delegate voting for the U.S. presidential race at the 2012 Republican National Convention, behind Romney, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich. Romney’s subsequent bid to unseat Obama as president proved unsuccessful, as Obama won re-election that November.
Prior to Paul’s keynote speech Thursday, various GOP candidates running in Iron County’s 2018 elections will each have a chance to address the audience for three minutes each, organizers said. These include candidates for county commission, sheriff, attorney and other local races.
“We expect to have about 40 minutes for candidate speeches,” Green said. “If there is time, then the candidates running for U.S. Senate would split what remains.”
Green said in addition to Romney, U.S. Senate candidate Larry Meyers has also indicated he plans to attend Iron County’s Lincoln Day event Thursday.
“We are required to treat all candidates equally prior to the primary, so every candidate gets the same (amount of) time as his opponents,” Green said. “We will try very hard to identify all attendees running for office so they get a chance to address the group.”
Romney and Meyers are among several GOP candidates who have already indicated they are hoping to win their party’s nomination for the retiring Sen. Orrin Hatch’s seat. Hatch, who is now in the final year of his seventh and final six-year term as senator, addressed Washington County Republicans at their Lincoln Day breakfast in St. George last Saturday morning.
Event details
- What: Iron County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner.
- When: Thursday, Feb. 22, 6:30 p.m.
- Where: Hunter Conference Center, Southern Utah University, Cedar City.
- Cost: $100 per person or $1,000 per table. Limited seats available. Reservations may be made by contacting Brad Green at 801-980-1776 or by emailing [email protected].
- Iron County Republican Party website.
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