Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, the blunt-talking conservative who once was the No. 3 Senate Republican, will make appearances this fall in the early caucus state of Iowa.
John Brabender, his longtime political adviser, says he'll be giving a speech Oct. 1 at the University of Dubuque about the future of the Republican Party. He's also attending a luncheon in Des Moines with an anti-abortion group.
Brabender downplays speculation that Santorum has presidential aspirations and says it's not necessarily the first step of a presidential run. He says Santorum feels he still has much to contribute to the party.
Santorum handily lost his seat in 2006 as part of the anti-war and anti-incumbent tide.
