HELENA - Gov. Marc Racicot has been invited to a major Republican Party event in Iowa in June that will show case prospective GOP presidential candidates for 2000, but he said Monday he has no present plans to run for president.
Iowa holds national political significance because it is the first stop on the 2000 presidential calendar, with political parties holding caucuses around the state in February, followed by the New Hampshire presidential primary.
Racicot, who has stepped up his out-of-state speaking engagements to Republican events the past nine months, said Monday he has not decided yet whether to attend the Iowa event and had not received an invitation yet. The invitation, dated Feb. 27, arrived later in the day in his office, an aide said.
However, the National Journal's Hotline reported Monday that Racicot will attend the Iowa GOP's "First-in-the-Nation Gala" in Cedar Rapids on June 12.
It said he will join Lamar Alexander, Steve Forbes and others speaking to an estimated crowd of 2,500 people and likely coverage of C-SPAN. Iowa Republicans bill it as the nation's largest political event in 1998.
We'll take a look at it," Raciot said in a telephone interview from Denver where he attended a meeting on bison. "If it's on a weekend and I have no other obligations that demand I be here in the state and it appears that it might be constructive or interesting, I would not be averse to going."
Asked if he was considering running for president, Racicot said: "I don't think that there is anything like that solidified in my mind." He added: "No, I don't have any plans at the present time that we're acting on or firming up."
Racicot, forbidden by Montana's term-limits provision from running for governor for a third term in 2000, said he passed along the word that he is willing to speak on behalf of the Republican Party or candidates in other states if it would be helpful. He has spoken to GOP gatherings in Cleveland, New York, Reno, Colorado Springs, Sun City, Ariz., Indian Wells, Calf., Bismarck, N.D., and other places since last summer.
As he understands the Iowa invitation, Racicot said there could be as many as 23 Republicans speaking at the event, including a number of incumbent governors and other undecided about seeking higher office.
"I'm just telling you that I haven't planned anything," he said. "If there is interest in having us come and be constructive in this national dialogue, it is something we would consider. I am not involved in putting together an organization specifically designed to be seeking national political office."
Keith Fortmann, executive director of the Iowa Republican Party, said the organization sent out invitations to "every Republican leader who had even mentioned or thought about running for president" and national leaders.
"Most people, if they aren't interested in running for president, aren't likely to come to Iowa," Fortmann said.
Asked to respond to Fortmann's comment about why people come to Iowa, Racicot said, "That is not the dispositive judgment for me. I'm very interested in all the things that happen nationally.
Fortmann, however, added that some people run for president in hopes of lining themselves up as a vice presidential candidate.
Iowa GOP Chairman Steve Grubbs said Racicot got an invitation to the event after Mary Jo Fox, the governor's legislative lobbyist and 1996 campaign manager, called and said Racicot would like to be included in these events.
"We said that's wonderful since he has the highest approval ratings of any governor in the country," Grubbs said. "There must be some reason why he is the most popular governor in America. We'd like to find out why in Iowa."
Charismatic presidential candidates have won in Iowa without having to spend huge sums of money, Grubbs said, citing Democrat Jimmy Carter's success in 1976 and Republican George Bush's win in 1980.
"He's exactly the kind of candidate the Iowa caucuses were designed for," Grubbs said of the Montana governor. "It sounds like Governor Racicot is the kind of person who just needs a little bit of exposure."
Montana Republican Chairwoman Sue Aleksich-Akey said she's not aware of Racicot's plans. She said she'd encourage him to run for president but added "it's a tough row" that requires a candidate to raise at least $20 million.
She said Racicot has done "a wonderful job" speaking to GOP groups nationally, drawing standing ovations, which aren't given to everyone.