WASHINGTON: At least 15 Republicans are contemplating US presidential runs, and most of them will be wooing donors and seeking blessings of core conservatives this weekend at two crucial events laying groundwork for 2016.
None of the candidates in waiting has officially launched a White House bid, and the first state-wide vote in the process to determine a party's nominee is a full 53 weeks away.
But the competition to earn the imprimatur of conservative groups, far-right voters, and the mega-donors that have become indispensable to American political success breaks into the open Saturday and Sunday.
Candidates charge out of the gate first in the heartland of Iowa, where anti-immigration congressman Steve King hosts the Iowa Freedom Summit.
Of Saturday's speakers, no fewer than eight are believed to have their eyes on the White House.
They include Senator Ted Cruz, a thorn in the party establishment's side; former Texas governor Rick Perry, whose 2012 presidential campaign crashed and burned; New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, battling sinking poll numbers; and mild-tempered neurosurgeon Ben Carson, a Tea Party favorite.
Each will get 20 minutes to wow the 1,000-strong crowd -- a sort of political speed-dating session -- and experts say making a good impression at the start of the political cycle is crucial.
"It is the kickoff, (and) will set the tone for many of the contenders," Iowa State University professor Steffen Schmidt told AFP.
An equally if not more influential event takes place Sunday in Palm Springs, California, where billionaire industrialists and political powerbrokers Charles and David Koch invited 450 conservative entrepreneurs and donors to their annual winter retreat.
Several 2016 hopefuls will attend, including Republican senators Cruz, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio, who are scheduled to square off in a three-way forum Sunday.
The Koch network marshals vast funding to advance free-market policies. For many GOP candidates, being on the right side of that network is essential.
"Whether we like it or not, one of the first primaries in either party is the fundraising primary, and having access to that network helps you," Republican strategist Greg Mueller told The New York Times.
The retreat is invitation-only. But this year, organizers have taken a new tack, and a webcast will be made available to reporters.
"Our goal in 2015 is to help inform the national debate around key domestic economic issues, and this forum is the beginning of that conversation," said Freedom Partners spokesman James Davis.
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