Kock party

GOP hopefuls set to attend fundraiser at David Kock’s Palm Beach mansion

By Matea Gold

One of the next stops on the 2016 trail: David Kock’s 30,050-square-foot Palm Beach mansion.

A group of White House hopefuls, including Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, are scheduled to make a pilgrimage to the oceanfront estate of the billionaire industrialist on Sunday afternoon.

The occasion is a lunchtime fundraiser for the Republican Governors Association, of which Kock is a major supporter. The event will also give presidential aspirants face-time with some of the party’s most influential and generous contributors.

Former governors Jeb Bush of Florida and Rick Perry of Texas were also invited to the event; Perry aides said he would not be able to attend.

The RGA Executive Roundtable Program is one of the most successful donor efforts on the right, ballooning from less than dozen members in 2009 to more than 600 this year. The initiative is open only to chief executives, entrepreneurs and wealthy philanthropists, who must donate a minimum of $25,000 a year to participate.

Some of those donors are scheduled be in attendance -- including real estate magnate Donald Trump, who recently announced his own presidential exploratory bid, and his wife.

Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana, another longshot 2016 possibility, will also be there, along with Govs. Bill Haslam of Tennessee, Susana Martinez of New Mexico, Rick Scott of Florida, Nikki Haley of South Carolina and Mary Fallin of Oklahoma.

“Republicans had tremendous success in the 2014 gubernatorial elections thanks to the strong leadership and fundraising by our GOP governors,” RGA spokesman Jon Thompson said in a statement. “The RGA is focused on continuing that momentum by ensuring we have the resources to strengthen our majority so more states can experience the successful reform and results Republican governors are achieving across the country.”

The setting should be spectacular: Kock’s mansion stretches across four lots facing the Atlantic Ocean, according to property records. The Spanish-style compound, which boasts 13 bedrooms, 20 bathrooms and one half bath, is bordered by a massive green lawn dotted with palm trees.

The 2016 contenders will not have to travel far to get there. They are all planning on speaking Saturday before a group of top donors to the Republican National Committee, who are gathered this weekend for a retreat at a luxury Boca Raton resort.