Palin will be keynote speaker at Mar-a-Lago Republican dinner
PALM BEACH — Sarah Palin will keynote the Palm Beach County Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Day fundraising dinner on Friday at Mara-Lago, the party announced Tuesday.
There was no word as of Tuesday on whether the venue’s owner, President Donald Trump, will be in town this weekend to possibly drop in on the dinner.
“Surprise guests are always welcome,” says a county GOP advisory.
Trump spoke at the county GOP’s dinner at Mar-a-Lago as a candidate in 2016 and used the occasion to make news, pledging to publicly list potential Supreme Court nominees to assuage conservative concerns. Trump also attended the 2014 dinner at Mar-a-Lago, introducing keynote speaker Ted Cruz.
Trump was not in town for last year’s dinner, but first lady Melania Trump made a brief appearance at a pre-dinner VIP reception.
Palin, the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, will be joined Friday by Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who faces term limits and has been urged by Trump to run for Senate this year against Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.
Scott told reporters in Tallahassee on Sunday that he will decide on his political future “in the next few weeks.”
This will be the sixth straight year the Palm Beach County GOP has held its dinner at Mar-a-Lago. Last year, the party spent about $150,000 to rent Mar-a-Lago’s main ballroom and raised about $300,000.
A sellout crowd of 700 is expected Friday. Tickets started at $350, with sponsorship packages of up to $25,000.