For Republicans at Campaign Kickoff, Sideshows Precede Big Show … It was billed as the kick-off to the 2016 cycle, a chance for an A-list of presidential contenders — Gov. Chris Christie and Gov. Scott Walker among them — to introduce themselves to Iowans a mere 53 weeks before the caucuses.

Scott Walker shows fire in Iowa  —  DES MOINES, Iowa — Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) delivered a fiery speech in Iowa on Saturday, wowing the conservative crowd with a passionate argument for small government and his own lengthy resume.  —  The Wisconsin governor, in rolled-up shirtsleeves …

Ben Carson pulls crowd to its feet  —  DES MOINES, Iowa — Former neurosurgeon Ben Carson (R) delivered a rousing speech to the conservative faithful, earning the first standing ovation of the day at the Iowa Freedom Summit and showing why he's generating buzz with conservative activists.

Walker to Iowa conservatives: ‘Go big and go bold’  —  Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Saturday hailed his record as a conservative leader, previewing his likely 2016 presidential pitch as an outsider and a fighter for bold reform.  —  The potential presidential candidate spent the majority …

Trump: 'I would've won the race against Obama'  —  Donald Trump is aggressively pushing himself back onto the Iowa stage as presidential material.  —  In a sit-down interview with The Des Moines Register, he said the two presumed GOP frontrunners, Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush, are doomed to lose …

Sarah Palin ‘seriously interested’ in 2016 bid  —  She's definitely interested in people thinking she's interested.  —  DES MOINES, Iowa — Is Sarah Palin interested in running for president in 2016?  It depends on what the definition of “interested” is.  —  But this much was clear …