DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, in yet another signal of her interest in seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, held an "intimate evening" with a handful of key activists with Iowa ties to talk about the unfolding race.

Those attending were leery of discussing details of the dinner conversation Tuesday night in Washington, but they came away with the impression that the discussion is only beginning.

"She definitely wants to continue to dialogue about Iowa," said JoDee Winterhof, a Democratic consultant based in Washington who has long ties to the state and its leading political figures. "She had lots of good questions and lots of good discussion. ... It was a small group and an intimate evening."

The dinner was the second such gathering Clinton has held in Washington with activists from a state that holds an important early test of strength. She met Sunday night with people from New Hampshire to talk about politics in the state that holds the nation's first primary.