better job at deterring illegal immigration than anything else. Giving a shout out to the state's newly elected U.S. senator, Joni Ernst, was also a popular item on the agenda for the potential candidates. Nearly all of them referred to her as their friend, and almost equal amount of affection and time was dedicated to the state's other beloved senator, Chuck Grassley. Walker, who, like Cruz, paced the stage back and forth as he spoke, delivered an impressive speech that honed in on his record as governor. He talked about implementing voter ID laws, and he painted himself as the valiant warrior who took on the public employees and won during the collective bargaining rights debate of 2011. He also did n't forget to mention that he's been elected three times in the past four years. Shortly after his speech, two men, both from Council Bluffs, talked outside about how they were wowed by Walker's remarks. If he could do on a nationwide scale what he did in Wisconsin, this country would be, one man, Michael Patomson, started to say, before his friend, Bill Hartzell, interjected: Transformed. The country would be transformed. The reception Many attendees had a hard time picking just one favorite in the line of potential contenders. Several mentioned Fiorina as a surprise hit. There was just a pantheon of people to listen to, said Eric Rosenthal of Cedar Rapids. Rick Perry was