In a move to reclaim the White House, Iowa Republicans have announced that the party’s presidential nominating caucuses will be held on January 15, coinciding with the federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr. This sets the stage for the first votes of the 2024 election, just over six months away.
Candidates have been campaigning in Iowa since last winter, but there has been uncertainty surrounding the date of the caucuses, which traditionally kick off the Republican selection process. Notably, the Democratic National Committee’s election calendar no longer includes Iowa as its first contest.
By voting unanimously for the third Monday in January, the Iowa Republican Party’s state central committee has set an earlier date for the caucuses compared to recent years. However, it is not as early as 2008 when they were held just three days into the new year.
During a press call, Iowa Republican Party Chairman Jeff Kaufmann expressed that the decision was made to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. He noted that the committee members had not initially considered the possibility of holding the caucuses on a federal holiday.
Caucuses, unlike primary elections, are organized and funded by the parties themselves, rather than state election officials. This announcement allows New Hampshire, which has not yet set a primary election date but prefers January 23, to maintain its first-in-the-nation status as mandated by state law.
The decision could have implications for both parties. Iowa Democrats have been awaiting the GOP’s date announcement as they adapt to new Democratic National Committee rules regarding the primary order. Democrats have proposed holding their caucus on the same day as the Republican contest, with the option for participants to vote via mail-in ballot. However, Iowa Democrats may choose not to immediately release the results.
This scenario would enable the state party to retain its first-in-the-nation status without violating the new election-year calendar supported by President Joe Biden and the Democratic National Committee, which designates South Carolina to replace Iowa as the leadoff spot for primary voting on February 3.
South Carolina Republicans have already set February 24 as the date for the traditional first Southern primary, allowing sufficient time for Nevada to schedule its Republican caucuses without conflicting with New Hampshire.
Iowa Republican Party Chairman Jeff Kaufmann expressed his commitment to preserving Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses and expressed anticipation for a historic caucus in the coming months, with the goal of defeating Joe Biden in November 2024.
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