Romney in Town for Peninsula Fundraiser Tonight

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his wife Ann are in the Bay Area today for a fundraising trip that includes a reception in Hillsborough with tickets reaching $50,000 per person.

That event is being held at the Chateau Carolands, a mansion nestled in the hills of San Mateo County.

Ticket prices range from $2,500 for the general reception to $50,000 for a "founder's dinner."

Attendees will include former Gov. Pete Wilson and former Secretary of State George Shultz, according to an invitation for the event.

This afternoon, Ann Romney will attend a "Bay Area Ladies' Luncheon" at the Palo Alto home of Cisco CEO John Chambers and his wife, Elaine. Local Democrats and a former Department of Commerce official plan to hold a 5:30 p.m. news conference outside of Romney's Hillsborough fundraiser.

They say they plan to speak about the former Massachusetts governor's business philosophy and what a Romney presidency would mean for the middle class.

Speakers will include Ro Khanna, former deputy assistant secretary at the Commerce Department; Santa Clara County Democratic Party Chair Steve Preminger; and Ellouise Patton of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5.

Romney's visit comes on the heels of a Bay Area stopover by President Barack Obama, who came to town last week for several campaign fundraisers on the Peninsula and in San Jose. Tickets to the Obama events reached $35,800.

— Bay City News