MUSCATINE, Iowa — 2016 GOP frontrunner Donald Trump received support from yet another major GOP player, state GOP chairman Jeff Kaufmann, in the all-important first caucus state of Iowa.
Kaufmann, who wasn’t officially endorsing Trump for president but is appearing with him on stage and introducing him, said that if Iowans select Trump on Feb. 1, the party is fully committed to electing him president of the United States. Kaufmann has appeared with other GOP candidates at their events, including according to Iowa GOP spokesman Charlie Szold in a comment to the Des Moines Register: Rick Perry, Bobby Jindal, Carly Fiorina, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Marco Rubio and Rick Santorum. Szold told Breitbart News this is a “courtesy we extend to all candidates.”
“This morning I woke up and the headlines were ‘There is a civil war in the Republican Party,’” Kaufmann said on the Trump stage. “Folks, we’re not having a civil war. We’re having a vigorous debate because the last eight years has made us mad.”
Kaufmann, who met with Trump before the rally in Iowa at Muscatine High School, said Trump is a “humble, a patriotic and a capable guy.”
“Most of our conversation was about how to get voices again for people that don’t believe they have a voice—I can’t think of anything more Republican than that,” Kaufmann said.
“As the Republican Party chairman, if you’re a Democrat and you’re going to join us on caucus night, I’ve got one word for you: Welcome,” Kaufmann added, an allusion to the fact Trump is likely to win many crossover voters.
“Donald Trump has brought some energy into this party, he has brought some energy into this country and I’ve lived in this particular county for seven generations,” Kaufmann said.
I’m here to tell you right now, on caucus night you’re going to hand somebody to me. And at the end of this process, the nominee is going to be handed to me. Let me be perfectly clear, I don’t want any ambiguity whatsoever. If you vote for him, Donald Trump, as the Republican nominee, the Republican Party of Iowa and this Republican chair will be behind him one thousand percent!
Kaufmann appearing on stage with Trump at this time comes after Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the longtime Iowa U.S. Senator, joined Trump on stage last week and said that he supports making America great again.
Grassley’s appearance was not an official endorsement, but an unofficial statement of support for Trump’s campaign.
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