Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Republicans? It's Rand Paul

Ready for Iowa Caucus season to start up again?

Marco Rubio has already graced the state with a visit, and today Iowa Republican Chair A.J. Spiker announced that Sen. Rand Paul will be the head speaker at the Iowa GOP's Lincoln Day Dinner on May 10. Ticket and event info at the link.

Paul vaulted himself to the national stage as an heir apparent to retiring father Ron as he filibustered against the Obama administration's foreign policy, particularly its policy on the use of military drones on foreign soil. His broadside against the Obama administration, and possibly the least favorite member for conservatives, Attorney General Eric Holder, was a rallying cry for Republicans.

Will this mean that Rand Paul will run for president? No, not necessarily. Although speeches at these dinners have traditionally been used as springboards for campaigns in the past, Paul won't need to throw his hat into the ring just yet. It will, however, raise his political profile and Iowa's, and come as a reward to the Libertarian portion of the Iowa Republican Party, which heavily supported Ron Paul in his most recent presidential bid.