Iowa bounced from top spot as Dems reshuffle primaries
AP/Edit
02/05/23
The Democratic Party has approved the reordering of its 2024 presidential primary.
Members of the Democratic National Committee voted Saturday in Philadelphia to replace Iowa with South Carolina in the leadoff spot. It’s part of a major shake-up meant to empower Black and other minority voters critical to the party’s base of support. South Carolina is set to go first, followed three days later by New Hampshire and Nevada. Georgia would vote fourth on Feb. 13, followed by Michigan on Feb. 27, with much of the rest of the nation set to vote on Super Tuesday in early March.
The new plan was championed by President Joe Biden, who is expected to formally announce his reelection campaign in the coming months.
The move remakes the current calendar, which saw Iowa start with its caucus, followed by New Hampshire and then Nevada and South Carolina. The Republican Party has voted not to change its 2024 primary order, meaning the campaign has already began in Iowa.
Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart argued that Republicans in her state were already accusing Democrats of having turned their back on Iowa and on rural America. But Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell argued that no one state should have a lock on going first.
The new rules include penalties for states trying to move up without permission, including possibly losing delegates to the party’s national convention.