DNC meets Monday — Iowa Dems want their caucus back
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Iowa last hosted the first-in-the-nation caucuses for both Republican and Democratic parties in 2020. Photo: Stephen Maturen/AFP via Getty Images
Iowa Democrats are in Minneapolis for Monday's Democratic National Committee (DNC) summer meeting, countering pitches from states like Nevada and New Hampshire to reclaim their "first-in-the-nation" spot as 2028 calendar fights resurface.
Why it matters: Sidelining Iowa again wouldn't benefit the local or the national party, Iowa Democratic Party chairperson Rita Hart said in a press call last week.
- Democrats "sat and watched" without sufficient resources to push back on the Republican agenda when the GOP held its first caucuses in Iowa last year, she said.
Catch up quick: Iowa Democrats lost their traditional caucus spot in 2024 after a flawed 2020 caucus rollout and the DNC's decision to move South Carolina to the front of the line.
- They struggled to stay relevant, relying on mail-in ballots during last year's caucuses before the state shifted even more Republican in November.
Zoom in: For months, state party leaders have quietly strategized a 2028 caucus comeback.
- Some of the party's stalwarts also recently launched a grassroots network to broaden its appeal, focusing on rural areas.
State of play: This week's meeting is the first major test to see if the party will follow the 2024 calendar.
- Party leaders won't make final decisions this week, but they will outline the process and timeline for selecting which states go first.
The intrigue: Scott Brennan, Iowa's only member on the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee — which is crucial in deciding the presidential nominating process order — was recently removed from its membership, KCCI reports.
The latest: Iowa Democrats launched a survey last week for previous caucus participants to gather their priorities.
- It asks for their opinions on the timing of the caucus process and whether following DNC rules about the primary calendar matters, with results expected to be shared with the state central committee in early December.
What they're saying: Brennan, a former Iowa Democratic Party chairperson, described the party's 2024 calendar as unfair, and Hart called it "a mistake" during a press call last week.
- "It did not help us here in Iowa and it did not help us long-term for the national Democratic cause for the presidential cycle," Hart said.
The other side: Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann, in a statement to Axios, criticized Democrats for not confronting the party's left wing.
- "The Republican Party of Iowa will be hosting a true, in-person caucus in 2028, with or without the Iowa Democrats' cooperation," Kaufmann said.
What's next: This week's DNC meeting continues through Wednesday.