Iowa Loses First-in-the-Nation Status After Democrats Cave to Party Demands
The Iowa Democratic Party caved to the Democratic National Committee’s plan and will push back releasing its 2024 caucus results until Super Tuesday, according to a letter obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
The move follows the DNC’s previously announced proposal, endorsed by President Joe Biden, to shift the 2024 calendar, replacing Iowa’s first-in-the-nation nominating status with South Carolina, whose Democratic primary will be held on Feb. 3.
Iowa Democrats will still hold its in-person caucus on Jan. 15, but will produce its presidential preference results on March 5, when over a dozen states hold their nominating contests, according to the letter sent by Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart to the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee.
“We believe that this delegate selection plan is definitely a compromise, and it meets the requirements set forth by the Rules and Bylaws Committee and it complies with Iowa law for 2024,” Hart said in a Friday meeting announcing the move.
“I have had repeated reassurance from the Rules and Bylaws Committee and its co-chairs that the presidential nominating calendar discussions will once again be opened up for 2028, where I expect that Iowa will compete strongly for a significant voice in the selection of our Democratic nominee.”
Republicans will still hold their caucus on Jan. 15, keeping the first-in-the-nation status, according to a news release.
Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann slammed the Democrats’ move in a statement, and took aim at the state’s Democratic Party for its “incompetence.”
“Constant and repeated attempts to thwart Iowa’s cherished First-in-the-Nation Caucus is nothing new,” Kaufmann said in the statement.
“While there have been different tactics deployed this year — including the complicity and incompetence of the Iowa Democratic Party — the Republican Party of Iowa and the Republican National Committee will continue to steadfastly defend our half-century-old carveout system, to ensure the triumph of grassroots democracy that ultimately strengthens our presidential nominating process.”
The DNC and Biden did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s requests for comment.
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