>Trump puts out feelers in Iowa

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A top associate to billionaire real estate developer Donald Trump is heading to Iowa this week to promote a potential presidential bid by Trump, who has said he would campaign in the state if he decided to seek the Republican nomination.

Michael Cohen, a vice president of and counsel to the Trump Organization, said that he planned to fly to Des Moines on Monday to meet with top GOP lawmakers, operatives, and volunteers. Iowa is to host the first presidential caucus, scheduled for Feb. 6. “I’ll be gauging the reception I feel he would have when he comes to Iowa,” Cohen said.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich launched a campaign website last week and signaled he was likely to run for the GOP nomination in 2012, becoming the first major candidate to formally do so.