Rhode Island is a galaxy far, far away from next week's Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., but you'd never know it with all the GOP star power expected in Newport this evening.

Slated to attend a campaign money-raiser are Roberta McCain, the 96-year-old mother of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, and Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who is increasingly talked about as John McCain's potential running mate.

"We may very well have the next vice president in the room tonight," state Rep. Robert Watson, the House minority leader from East Greenwich who heads up the McCain campaign in Rhode Island, said today.

Robert Mosbacher, who heads up McCain's national campaign, is also scheduled to attend, according to Watson.

Governor Carcieri and his wife, Sue Carcieri, are slated to be at the event -- listed as a Women for McCain gathering on his daily schedule -- as are other prominent Rhode Island GOP officials.

A private reception is scheduled from 5 to 6:15 today at the New York Yacht Club in Newport. The Journal has reported that a $10,000 per person private reception and photo opportunity is at the yacht club and that it was slated to include an 11 a.m. "morning sail" and luncheon tomorrow.

For $2,300, attendees can have a private reception and photo opportunity at 6 p.m. at the Astors' Beechwood mansion, 580 Bellevue Ave.

Watson said a 6:30 general reception, $500 per person, is slated for the Beechwood mansion.

Watson said that, unlike Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, McCain has stuck with public financing of his presidential run and, with month's end near, today's event is a push to "demonstrate some support for John McCain in Rhode Island and help him out," Watson said.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney and Journal archives