Not Even First-ish
For a half century, Iowa Democrats held the distinction of being the “first in the nation” presidential caucus state. It started by accident in 1972, but quickly became something others wanted to steal. Thanks to Iowa Democrats with backbone, those challenges were all resisted.
Then came the 2020 caucus, when Iowa officials bent over backward to accede to the wishes of the national party, apparently not knowing the national folks were setting them up for failing by requiring them to use an untested app for reporting results; Nevada had a similar issue. When a too-close caucus race could not be called that night, the national folks had their chance…and they took it when South Carolina wound up rescuing Joe Biden’s failing effort. Biden never did do well here, 2020 included…so Iowa got shuffled to the side in 2024 and South Carolina won the prize.
Since it wasn’t an open seat, it wasn’t as big a deal. But 2028 will be a big deal…and now the national folks are suggesting not only that South Carolina keep its new number one spot, but that Iowa doesn’t even make the early cut.
New Hampshire was treated similarly four years ago, but they thumbed their granite-state nose at the party and held their primary anyway…with no convention repercussions. Iowa would do well to do the same thing…hold its caucus whenever it wants, and dare the national party to not seat the delegates at the convention.
The DNC tried this before, in 1984; but Waterloo’s Dave Nagle stood firm and the state kept its first-in-the-nation status for another four decades—without punishment at the convention.
If there was ever a way to blunt momentum among Iowa Democrats, who are feeling pretty good about this year’s election and for good reason…leave it to the DNC to do it. This, of course, is the same DNC that had to mortgage its office building in Washington to finance campaign ads not long ago.
Iowa Democrats certainly don’t need me telling them what to do…but if they are listening…hold firm, stay paired with the Iowa Republicans, and have our state be the center of the political universe again, as it should be. And if you need Dave Nagle’s phone number…I have it.
