Despite announcing that he will not be participating in the Iowa GOP’s Straw Poll this August, Rudy Giuliani has announced some big — albeit moderate — Republican guns in the 2008 caucus season.

The campaign announced today that Paul Pate, former mayor of Cedar Rapids, former state senator and former secretary of state, will not only serve as state chair for Giuliani’s Iowa Leadership Team but will have some help along the way. Pate will spearhead the campaign’s efforts across the state by communicating with other political leaders, building on the existing fund-raising network and increasing support at the grassroots level. He will be assisted by six state co-chairs:

  • Iowa Senate Minority Leader Mary Lundby, R-Marion
  • Former lieutenant governor and state Sen. Joy Corning (first woman to serve in the Iowa Senate)
  • State Sen. Jeff Angelo, R-Creston
  • Former state Sen. Jim Kersten
  • Former senate minority leader Jack Rife

Russ Cross, chair of the Story County Republicans, will serve as Giuliani’s caucus chair. Regional chairs include Leah Adams (east central), Ann Jorgensen (northeast), Maggie Tinsman (southeast), Theresa Hammond (northwest), Loren Knauss (southwest) and Gene Maddox (central).

In addition, 57 individuals have signed on as either county chairs or co-chairs for the campaign. Of those, 16 hail from either Polk or Linn counties, and strikingly absent are the Republican strongholds of Sioux, Lyon, Osceola and O’Brien counties.