DNC revokes the Iowa Caucus' First in the Nation status
After hours of testimony, the DNC rules and bylaws committee approved the change.
After hours of testimony, the DNC rules and bylaws committee approved the change.
Iowa officially loses its first-in-the-nation status for Democratic caucuses after the Democratic National Committee meeting Saturday.
After hours of testimony, the DNC rules and bylaws committee approved the change. South Carolina will be going first on Feb. 3, 2024, followed by New Hampshire and Nevada three days later. Then Georgia on Feb. 13 and Michigan on Feb. 27.
Democrats said they want diverse voices to be heard earlier in the presidential nominating process.
This comes three years after the 2020 Democratic Caucus, when results weren't finalized by the Iowa Democratic Party for days.
Scott Brennan-- Iowa's only representative on the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee-- claims some of those states might not be able to follow through.
Brennan says Iowa has offered to fill in if one of those dates opens up.
"We remain ready to resolve this and get a calendar that will re-elect our president," Brennan said in an interview with vlog minutes after the decision was made.
Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart was present at the meeting in Philadelphia, PA, and testified during the meeting.
Her full statement:
“As a farmer who lives near Wheatland, Iowa, a town of around 800 people, it is vital that small rural states like Iowa have a voice in our Presidential nominating process. Democrats cannot forget about entire groups of voters in the heart of the Midwest without doing significant damage to the party. I am especially troubled by the lack of any representation of states in the Central or Mountain time zones.”
“I fully believe in and support the President and the principles which informed this proposed calendar. However, this calendar does not appear feasible. As it stands today, of the five states which were granted waivers, one state appears unwilling, and one state appears unable, to meet the conditions on which they were predicated. This uncertainty means that the matter is far from settled, and Iowa Democrats will continue to be part of the ongoing conversations about the calendar.”
“Iowa does not have the luxury of conducting a state-run primary, nor are Iowa Republicans likely to support legislation that would establish one. Our state law requires us to hold precinct caucuses before the last Tuesday in February, and before any other contest.”
“The reimagined Iowa Caucuses will be a simplified vote-by-mail process that will increase accessibility, grow our Party and has the opportunity to be one the most inclusive primary process of any state.”
“When we submit our delegate selection plan to the Rules and Bylaws Committee, we will continue to do what is best for Iowa, adhere to any state legal requirements and utilize the vote-by-mail process outlined in our application for an early-state waiver.”
vlog has followed the decision every step of the way, previous coverage:
