Over the last months, there has been significant chatter back and forth between, New Hampshire Democrats and the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee (DNCRBC), over the position of the Granite State Presidential Primary on the 2024 Democratic Presidential Primary calendar. But that has mostly overshadowed the impact the proposed calendar overhaul has had on the other traditional lead-off State, Iowa.
The Caucuses in the Hawkeye State were Ousted from their spot at the head of the class, in the Democratic Presidential Nomination Process for First time in the last half century. However, more National Attention has been paid to the Defiance of New Hampshire Democrats, who received a Pre-Window Waiver, with a demanding set of conditions, than to Iowa Democrats also potentially Breaking the Rules to continue occupying the Top Slot.
Placed on the back burner, the Iowa situation has Not gone anywhere. In fact, the recent Deadline for the States granted Contingent Pre-Window Waivers by the DNCRBC, to check in with their progress did not go unnoticed. When it was revealed that Georgia and New Hampshire had both fallen short of meeting the State-Specific Mandates from the National Panel, Iowa Democrats took the opportunity to Lobby once again to be Reinserted into the lineup.
In a Letter to the DNCRBC, Ross Wilburn, outgoing Iowa Democratic Party (IDP) Chair, leaned on the Feasibility argument that weighed so heavily on the Panel down the stretch in their decision-making process. Those potential Complications forced the Committee to punt on a calendar Decision until after the 2022 Midterms. As Wilburn wrote: "The Iowa Democratic Party believes that, with two states apparently unable to meet the criteria set forth as conditions of a waiver, within the timeline set forth by this committee, we have a compelling case to be granted a conditional waiver for a pre-window contest. As a state party run contest, we retain the ultimate ability to tailor our contest to RBC rules and specifications and maintain a flexibility that states with state-run contests cannot. To that end, we request consideration for a conditional waiver be considered at the February meeting of the RBC." Honing in on the revised, fully-absentee caucuses that the IDP pitched to the DNCRBC in the summer, Wilburn continued:
"The process we proposed allowed flexibility as to the date while complying with Iowa law. We believe that Iowa can be an important part of the solution to an early nominating calendar by providing flexibility with its new process." But Wilburn was Not the only one making the case. Iowa's sole Member of the DNCRBC, Scott Brennan also weighed in: "We view this as an opportunity to go back and say, 'Take another look, you made a mistake with us the first time. We're willing to forgive and forget and take our spot back in the pre-window."
Brennan added that Iowa Democrats "stand ready, willing and able to fill in" before setting expectations for the coming weeks before the DNC presumably Votes on Finalizing the early Calendar. Brennan said he expects the Committee will discuss Wilburn’s Request at its February Meeting, but meet Virtually in the meantime in the next couple of weeks, to discuss granting a Deadline Extension for New Hampshire and Georgia.
Even Governor Kim Reynolds (R-IA) added. during her Second Inaugural Speech this past week: “To the national Democrats, to President Biden, I say this: Reconsider,” she said. “Come back to Iowa, and you won’t regret it.”
The Iowa loose end will have to be tied off at some point by either the DNCRBC or the Iowa Democratic Party. But until, and perhaps after, the DNC finalizes the 2024 Calendar Rules, the IDP clearly has no qualms about continuing to pitch the Caucuses as a Solution to any Implementation problems other States may have.
But Iowa's problem centeresaround the Rule that the Early State's must use a Primary Vote, not a Caucus.
In the end, Iowa may or may not prove to be a Suitable Substitute.
Of course, that may leave the DNCRBC with other Imperfect possibilities, relative to the Criteria it has used during the selection Process. Then again, Iowa and New Hampshire Democrats may just ignore them anyway. But that is another matter.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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