Democrats Bump Iowa From First In The Nation Primary Voting
It's no secret that this has been a possibility for a while now. From issues on voting night in Iowa to the president and the DNC wanting to prioritize diversity in voters, DNC member Stewart Applebaum stated,
“This is what our party looks like. This is what America looks like,”
It looks like this is the end of Iowa getting to be first in the primaries for the Democrats.
Democratic Primary Updates
On Friday Democrats officially moved to make South Carolina the first state to vote in the presidential primary and replace Iowa. According to USA Today,
The Democratic National Committee Rules and Bylaws Committee approved President Joe Biden’s proposal to upend a calendar that has historically started with Iowa’s caucuses to recognize the party's most reliable base: Black voters.
Democratic leaders in New Hampshire and Iowa weren't fully on board with accepting the plan, even as DNC leaders warned states that don’t follow the party’s rules could face punishment. The Republican party seems to be doing the opposite of the DNC on this vote.
The Republican Vote
It looks like Iowa Republicans are doubling down and have already voted to keep the Iowa caucuses as the first event on their primary calendar. After all, Iowa has been good to the Republican party. According to The Des Moines Register, Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Jeff Kaufmann calls on senior Iowa Democrats to speak up in defense of Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses.
What Does This Mean?
As Iowans, many of us who are proud voters felt honored to really have our voice heard. It looks like doing that first will no longer be the case,
The 2024 calendar approved by the committee begins with South Carolina voting Feb. 3, New Hampshire and Nevada on Feb. 6, Georgia on Feb. 20, and Michigan on Feb. 27.
Will this be permanent? Only time will tell, but for now, Iowa is no longer first.