The Freedom Club of Minnesota often scores bold-faced names for its annual spring dinner, but none with more currency than this year’s guest, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a possible candidate for the Republican nomination for president.
The conservative group, whose political action arm spent $1.4 million on Republicans during the 2104 election cycle, will host Walker at a private dinner event.
“It was quite an honor that he chose us,” said Alex Kharam, the Freedom Club’s executive director. “We certainly had a lot of folks that wanted him. He is probably running for president.”
Kharam said the event is for members only and is not a fundraiser, either for Walker or the club. There is no charge for the event.
Broadcaster John Stossel spoke at the club’s 2014 dinner and financier Steve Forbes the year before that. Other Freedom Club speakers have included New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Sarah Palin.
Commenting on whether is was difficult to get an A-lister like Walker, Kharam noted, “If you want to run for president as a Republican, certainly the Freedom Club is the place to go to in Minnesota.”
As in the past, Freedom Club events are not open to the public, a policy that has, in the past, cause some criticism. Former U.S. Senate candidate Mike McFadden was criticized by his DFL opposition for skipping public debates but appearing at a private Freedom Club forum last year with other GOP candidates for the Senate.