'A kick in the teeth': Iowa may lose first-in-the-nation status under President Biden's new proposal

CO-CHAIRS. STEVE, THIS IS JUST BOMBSHELL NEWS TONIGHT HERE IN D.C. I’M AT THE HOTEL WHERE DNC RULES AND BYLAWS COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE HAVING A MEMBERS ONLY DINNER. THEY WERE COMPLETELY SHOCKED TO HEAR THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN SENT OUT A LETTER DURING THEIR DINNER RECOMMENDING THAT IOWA BE SCRAPPED, NOT ONLY FROM ITS FIRST IN THE NATION SPOT, BUT ALSO FROM THE EARLY WINDOW ENTIRELY. INSTEAD, PRESIDENT BIDEN IS SUGGESTING. A NEW LINEUP THAT WOULD INSTEAD START WITH SOUTH CAROLINA. IT WOULD THEN GO TO NEW HAMPSHIRE, THEN NEVADA, THEN GEORGIA, THEN MICHIGAN. NOW, I TALKED TO SCOTT BRENNAN. HE’S THE ONLY IOWAN ON THE RULES AND BYLAWS COMMITTEE. I TALKED TO HIM IN THE HALLWAY JUST AFTER HE HEARD THAT NEWS TO FIND OUT HIS FIRST REACTION, A COMPLETE KICK IN THE TEETH. VERY SURPRISED. NO COURTESY OF A CALL FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TO, FRANKLY, ANY MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE. WASHINGTON POST HAD IT BEFORE THE COMMITTEE DID SO. YOU KNOW, IT’S IT’S SAYS SOMETHING TO ME ABOUT THE PROCESS. OTHER DISGRUNTLED MEMBERS OR DOES IT SEEM LIKE THERE’S A COLLECTIVE SUPPORT? NEW HAMPSHIRE HAS ALREADY RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS CALENDAR WILL NOT STAND FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE. AND SO THEY ARE GOING TO DISPUTE IT. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT NEVADA WILL WAIVE THEIR OPTIONS BECAUSE, AGAIN, THEY MADE A THEY MADE A BIG PUSH TO GO FIRST AND THEY DIDN’T GET WHAT THEY WANT IN EITHER. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE’S A LOT MORE DISCUSSION TO BE HAD AND. CERTAINLY MORE JOCKEYING TO PROBABLY BE DONE AMONG THE EARLY STATES. IT’S NOT SET IN STONE YET. THERE STILL WILL BE MORE DISCUSSION. THERE’LL BE MORE DISCUSSION. YOU KNOW, WE’LL HAVE A LOT OF DISCUSSION TOMORROW. AT SOME POINT, WE’LL VOTE ON THE PROPOSAL. YOU KNOW, MY GUESS IS THAT IT WILL PASS. PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, TEND TO, YOU KNOW, SOME RECOMMENDATION THAT CAME FROM THE WHITE HOUSE. THEY TEND TO FOLLOW THOSE THINGS. BUT THEN WE HAVE WE HAVE A DELEGATE SELECTION PLAN THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE DOWN THE ROAD. THE FULL DNC HAS TO VOTE ON IT. AND THERE’LL BE A LOT OF UNHAPPY AS YET TO COME. ANY INDICATION OF, YOU KNOW, IF THIS PASSES? DOES IOWA GO WITH NEW HAMPSHIRE AND SAY WE’RE STILL GOING FIRST OR WOULD YOU FALL IN LINE WITH WHAT NATIONAL DEMOCRATS WANT? THEY DIDN’T GIVE US ANYTHING. SO, I MEAN, THEY’VE REALLY GIVEN US NO OPTION BUT TO, YOU KNOW, FOLLOW STATE LAW AND BE THE FIRST CAUCUS. YOU KNOW, THAT’LL BE UP TO THE STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE AND OUR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP. BUT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT WE DISPUTE THIS. NOW, YOU HEARD FROM SCOTT BRENNAN RIGHT THERE. HIS RAW REACTION AFTER HEARING PRESIDENT BIDEN’S RECOMMENDATION ON BRENNAN’S RECOMMENDATION. IOWA SHOULD DISPUTE THIS. THAT MEANS HE THINKS IOWA SHOULD STICK WITH STATE LAW AND GO FIRST IN, HOLD THE FIRST IN THE NATION CAUCUS. BUT WHAT DOES DISPUTING THAT ACTUALLY MEAN? WE’LL HAVE MORE ON WHAT THAT FIGHT WOULD ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE COMING UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. I’M LIVE HERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AMANDA ROOKER ��vlog

Iowa Democrats may be facing a blow in their effort to save the state's first-in-the-nation status in the presidential nominating process.The Democratic National Convention's Rules and Bylaws Committee is meeting in Washington, D.C., on Friday to decide the future of the presidential nominating process.On Thursday night, DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee members were attending a members-only dinner when President Joe Biden released a letter indicating which states he would prefer to go first during the presidential nominating process.Scott Brennan, the only Iowan on the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee confirmed to ��vlog that Biden and his committee co-chairs have recommended the following early voting lineup: South Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, Georgia and Michigan.The recommendation is not final. The final decision is expected on Friday or Saturday.Brennan told ��vlog that the letter came as a shock on Thursday night, as the DNC had been waiting to hear Biden's preference for months."A complete kick in the teeth. Very surprised. No courtesy of a call from the White House to frankly any member of the committee. The Washington Post had it before the committee did. So, you know, it says something to me about the process," Brennan said.��vlog obtained a copy of the letter which states, in part, "Our party should no longer allow caucuses as part of our nominating process. We are a party dedicated to ensuring participation by all voters and for removing barriers to political participation. Caucuses — requiring voters to choose in public, to spend significant amounts of time to caucus, disadvantaging hourly workers and anyone who does not have the flexibility to go to a set location at a set time — are inherently anti participatory."Iowa is one of the only states that holds a caucus as part of its presidential nomination process.The letter also states, in part, "We must ensure that voters of color have a voice in choosing our nominee much earlier in the process and throughout the entire early window." In April, the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee approved a new plan which requires states to make the case that they should be first in the nominating process.The committee will vote on where the first four or five spots in the nominating schedule will be held based on the criteria of diversity, competitiveness and feasibility.Iowa is competing against 15 states and Puerto Rico for those spots. Iowa Democrats have held the first spot since 1972, playing a key role in the Democratic presidential nominating process. The DNC's vote could take that role from Iowa.Iowa Democratic Party chair Ross Wilburn told ��vlog that he believes Democrats will lose rural voters, an increasingly important voter bloc for Democrats, if they abandon small rural states like Iowa. The Iowa Democratic Party released the following statement from Wilburn on the proposed changes.“Small rural states like Iowa must 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 for a generation. I’m proud of the commitment Iowa Democrats have made to advancing diverse Presidential candidates over the years. It’s disappointing to see a characterization of caucuses that does not reflect the historic reforms that we proposed. The new Iowa Caucuses will be a simplified vote-by-mail process that increases accessibility and grows our Party. 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 a caucus before the last Tuesday in February, and before any other contest. When we submit our delegate selection plan to the Rules and Bylaws Committee early next year, we will adhere to the State of Iowa’s legal requirements, and address compliance with DNC rules in subsequent meetings and hearings.”What will Iowa do if the proposed nominating schedule passes?Brennan told ��vlog he would recommend Iowa Democrats dispute the decision and have Iowa still hold its first-in-the-nation caucus“I think the term would be ‘going rogue.’ You know, going outside the process, and telling the DNC, ‘We’re picking a date, here’s the date we’re going to go on,’ and then we have to make a decision about whether they punish us and the candidates who might participate. And we just have to figure that out," Brennan said. Watch: What will Iowa do if the proposed nominating schedule passes? Previous coverage:

WASHINGTON —

Iowa Democrats may be facing a blow in their effort to save the state's first-in-the-nation status in the presidential nominating process.

The Democratic National Convention's Rules and Bylaws Committee is meeting in Washington, D.C., on Friday to decide the future of the presidential nominating process.

On Thursday night, DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee members were attending a members-only dinner when President Joe Biden released a letter indicating which states he would prefer to go first during the presidential nominating process.

Scott Brennan, the only Iowan on the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee confirmed to ��vlog that Biden and his committee co-chairs have recommended the following early voting lineup: South Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, Georgia and Michigan.

The recommendation is not final. The final decision is expected on Friday or Saturday.

Brennan told ��vlog that the letter came as a shock on Thursday night, as the DNC had been waiting to hear Biden's preference for months.

"A complete kick in the teeth. Very surprised. No courtesy of a call from the White House to frankly any member of the committee. The Washington Post had it before the committee did. So, you know, it says something to me about the process," Brennan said.

��vlog obtained a copy of the letter which states, in part, "Our party should no longer allow caucuses as part of our nominating process. We are a party dedicated to ensuring participation by all voters and for removing barriers to political participation. Caucuses — requiring voters to choose in public, to spend significant amounts of time to caucus, disadvantaging hourly workers and anyone who does not have the flexibility to go to a set location at a set time — are inherently anti participatory."

Iowa is one of the only states that holds a caucus as part of its presidential nomination process.

The letter also states, in part, "We must ensure that voters of color have a voice in choosing our nominee much earlier in the process and throughout the entire early window."

In April, the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee approved a new plan which requires states to make the case that they should be first in the nominating process.

The committee will vote on where the first four or five spots in the nominating schedule will be held based on the criteria of diversity, competitiveness and feasibility.

Iowa is competing against 15 states and Puerto Rico for those spots.

Iowa Democrats have held the first spot since 1972, playing a key role in the Democratic presidential nominating process. The DNC's vote could take that role from Iowa.

Iowa Democratic Party chair Ross Wilburn told ��vlog that he believes Democrats will lose rural voters, an increasingly important voter bloc for Democrats, if they abandon small rural states like Iowa.

The Iowa Democratic Party released the following statement from Wilburn on the proposed changes.

“Small rural states like Iowa must 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 for a generation. I’m proud of the commitment Iowa Democrats have made to advancing diverse Presidential candidates over the years.

It’s disappointing to see a characterization of caucuses that does not reflect the historic reforms that we proposed. The new Iowa Caucuses will be a simplified vote-by-mail process that increases accessibility and grows our Party.

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 a caucus before the last Tuesday in February, and before any other contest.

When we submit our delegate selection plan to the Rules and Bylaws Committee early next year, we will adhere to the State of Iowa’s legal requirements, and address compliance with DNC rules in subsequent meetings and hearings.”

What will Iowa do if the proposed nominating schedule passes?

Brennan told ��vlog he would recommend Iowa Democrats dispute the decision and have Iowa still hold its first-in-the-nation caucus

“I think the term would be ‘going rogue.’ You know, going outside the process, and telling the DNC, ‘We’re picking a date, here’s the date we’re going to go on,’ and then we have to make a decision about whether they punish us and the candidates who might participate. And we just have to figure that out," Brennan said.

Watch: What will Iowa do if the proposed nominating schedule passes?

Previous coverage:

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'A kick in the teeth': Iowa may lose first-in-the-nation status under President Biden's new proposal

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