7 , ▁the ▁only ▁major ▁candidate ▁to ▁announ ce ▁their ▁intent ions ▁as ▁to ▁whether ▁they ▁would ▁form ▁an ▁expl or atory ▁committee ▁for ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁was ▁business man ▁H erman ▁C ain ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁after ▁having ▁tou red ▁Iowa , ▁speaking ▁to ▁various ▁Republican ▁Party ▁groups ▁and ▁leaders , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁leaders ▁in ▁the ▁Te a ▁Party ▁movement . ▁The ▁first ▁official ▁visit ▁to ▁Iowa ▁by ▁C ain , ▁as ▁a ▁president ial ▁candidate , ▁was ▁on ▁March ▁ 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁during ▁a ▁conference ▁hosted ▁by ▁the ▁Iowa ▁Fa ith ▁and ▁Fre edom ▁Co al ition , ▁along ▁with ▁former ▁Spe aker ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁New t ▁G ing rich ▁and ▁former ▁Governor ▁Bud dy ▁Ro emer , ▁who ▁also ▁announced ▁their ▁own ▁expl or atory ▁comm itte es ▁to ▁run ▁for ▁president ▁four ▁days ▁earlier . ▁ ▁Form er ▁Governor ▁Tim ▁P aw l enty , ▁and ▁former ▁Senator ▁Rick ▁Sant orum ▁also ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁event , ▁though ▁they ▁had ▁yet ▁to ▁announ ce ▁their ▁intent ions ▁to ▁run ▁for ▁president . ▁Following ▁the ▁conference , ▁P aw l enty ▁officially ▁announced ▁his ▁bid ▁on ▁March ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁and ▁made ▁his ▁first ▁visit ▁to ▁Iowa ▁as ▁a ▁president ial ▁candidate ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁speaking ▁with ▁Republican ▁Party ▁leaders ▁in ▁Newton , ▁Iowa . ▁Sant