Iowa Democratic leaders expect the state’s precinct caucuses will remain first-in-the-nation in 2012 and beyond following the final meeting Wednesday of a Democratic National Committee panel recommending changes to the delegate-selection process.
“Iowans should continue to be cautiously optimistic about our first-in-the-nation status,” Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan said. “While the Democratic National Committee evaluates shifting the schedule of primaries and caucuses to later in the year, I expect Iowa will remain the first caucus.”
However, he warned the Change Commission recommendation that Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Caroline have their caucuses and primaries beginning Feb. 1 and other states start their delegate selection processes no earlier than March 1 is not the final word.
The recommendations go to the Rules and Bylaws Committee, which next meets in February. Its recommendations will go to the DNC over the summer. State party leaders expect a decision in the fall of 2010, prior to mid-term elections.
Even then, the lineup won’t be set, one party official said. Just as Michigan and Florida ignored the DNC schedule in 2008, some states may choose to jump ahead of Iowa and New Hampshire.
The Change Commission is recommending the DNC offer incentives for states to follow the party calendar by offering, for example, preferred seating and hotel accommodations at national conventions - Quad-City Times
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