New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) will campaign in the first-in-the-nation caucus state next week to boost Iowa Rep. Steve King (R).

King’s campaign announced today that Christie will “keynote” King’s Defenders of Freedom luncheon on Sept. 20 in Sioux City, Iowa.

King is seeking re-election in a competitive race against former Iowa first lady Christie Vilsack (D). Both parties are targeting the northwestern Iowa district and Roll Call rates the race as Leans Republican.

Two weeks ago, Christie delivered the keynote speech at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. Although he spoke in support of his party’s nominee, Mitt Romney, Christie’s repeat visit to Iowa will only further fuel speculation he might be eying his own national bid in the future.

Christie already headlined a fundraiser for King last summer. In a statement, King noted his friendship with the popular governor: “Governor Christie and his wife, Mary Pat, are great friends,” King said. “We first met when he was set up for a political excoriation before the House Judiciary Committee by then Chairman John Conyers (D-Michigan). I thought, ‘Here is a principled, direct, and very smart man who is unjustly the target of partisan attack.'”