Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker will be in Edina Thursday night speaking to a group of influential conservatives, but he is not making any public appearances.
Walker is the featured speaker at the annual spring dinner of the Freedom Club of Minnesota at Interlachen Country Club. The group's departing president, Brandon Sawalich, said the invitation was issued months ago before Walker started actively exploring a 2016 presidential bid.
"He's going to come and speak," said Sawalich, a senior vice president at Starkey Technologies. "It's not a fundraiser."
Walker has not yet formally announced a presidential campaign, but he is widely expected to jump into the 2016 fray. Republican insiders view Walker as a serious contender after his eventful first term as governor, where he survived a recall attempt amid his successful efforts to constrain the power of organized labor in Wisconsin.
Sawalich said the Freedom Club of Minnesota has about 80 members. The group was founded by Bob Cummins, a Minnesota technology entrepreneur who has been a major donor to Republican and conservative causes.
The Associated Press reported that Walker would also be meeting privately on Thursday with Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Daudt and other Republican lawmakers.
