WASHINGTON — 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 speak Oct. 1 at the University of Dubuque about the future of the Republican Party.

Brabender downplays speculation that Santorum has presidential aspirations and says it's not necessarily the first step of a presidential run.

Santorum lost his Senate seat in 2006.