Iowa Republican Party Chairman Jeff Kaufmann has given hundreds of speeches in his lifetime, but none were more important than the presidential nomination speech he gave Aug. 5 at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
The 3.5-minute speech by the lifelong rural Wilton resident enlightened the convention, riling up the 18,000 at the convention hall along with millions more watching on national television.
Finalizing his speech, he asked the delegation to join in the endorsement to “make America wealthy again . . . make America safe again . . . make America strong again. . . and to make America great again.”
Most important to Kaufmann, the speech gave him an opportunity to tout Iowa as the “first in the nation state,” where the political voting process begins with a caucus vote every four years and “we profoundly make choices of who we wish” to lead this country.
Introduced by speaker of the house Mike Johnson, a “humbled and honored” Kaufmann pointed out the GOP is a “grassroots party” and a “party of the people, not a party of the bosses.”
“Donald Trump has earned the trust of the people, he has listened to them and Donald Trump has kept his word,” Kaufmann said from the podium.
He said this is “not just a program for Republicans, but for all Americans” and pointed out, “we can and will blaze a brighter future.”
He said it was the first time he was asked to use a teleprompter to give his speech, something he said he rehearsed three hours before stepping up to the microphone. “I usually work from notes or the top of my head,” he said.
Kaufmann said he felt good about the speech and got a thank you text from Trump afterward.
He said he wanted to accomplish three things with the speech including reminding people that Iowa should always be first in the political voting process, that Trump has kept his promises and to “rev up the crowd,” something he said he felt good about accomplishing, with everyone chanting, “USA, USA . . . “ following his remarks.
Muscatine County GOP Chairman Fred Grunder of Wilton was also part of the delegation, which included about 70 from Iowa. He said it’s expensive to attend a convention and said his Iowa delegation was honored to visit with Newt Gingrich and Ron Desantis during the convention. He said Trump and vice-presidential nominee JD Vance concentrated on key states that may sway the election.
Kaufmann said Trump will easily win Iowa, but said there are 12-14 key swing states that will actually decide the election, something he’s told his Muscatine Community College students.
Kaufmann called the convention, “surreal” in being that close to former president Trump. It was Kaufmann’s third GOP convention.
“Everybody in that room was wishing him the best,” said Kaufmann, calling it a “human moment” when Trump entered the room following his assassination attempt just more than a week earlier. “It was impactful being a part of that,” he said.
Kaufmann said representing Iowa and getting the chance to be that representative from Iowa to nominate the president at the convention was a very big deal, showing the state in a “positive light” and a state that has “first in the nation status again.”
He said although it’s important Trump gets elected, he feels it’s just as important Iowa votes in the four Republican Congressional representatives including first district incumbent Mariannette Miller-Meeks.
“I have my eye on that as much as the presidential race,” he said, noting he feels the election will be close, and feels better about key swing states like Georgia, Arizona and Michigan than he did a year ago.
Kaufmann was a state representative in Iowa from 2004-2013 before his son, Bobby, was elected to the position. The young Kaufmann is seeking reelection again this Nov. 5.
The elder Kaufmann says he not only keeps busy on the political circuit, but also has had a role in helping rehabilitate the Wilton Oakdale Cemetery, where volunteers are replacing head stones and fixing other problems. He calls the work “rewarding.”
“It was fun, a challenge and an honor,” Kaufmann said.
