“I’ll just speak from my heart and will try to let him know there’s a call to duty like I’ve never seen before,” Gary Kirke, a West Des Moines businessman who will be among those making the trip, told RCP. “We have a lot of great guys that could be great candidates, but we don’t have great campaigners. I think Christie could be both.”…

Rastetter, who will lead the political pilgrimage to New Jersey, echoed Branstad’s guarded caution — coupled with a thinly veiled hope that Christie might see the light. “We in no way have any commitment that he will either run or reconsider, but we think it’s important to encourage him,” Rastetter said. “I think the country needs someone with his leadership style.”