Race for DNC Chair Heats Up as Iowa’s First-in-the-nation Status Comes under Fire
Clinton
war-room veteran Simon Rosenberg built his [centrist] New Democrat Network into a
formidable political operation with the help of financial backers in
New York. Now he’s considering a dark-horse run for chair of the
Democratic National Committee.
NewYorkMetro.com
But
according to the Associated Press, a New Democrat victory would put the
first-in-the-nation status of both Iowa and New Hampshire at risk.
“Iowa
and New Hampshire should not go first in the primary calendar, and we
need to create a system that allows other states to have equal
footing,” said Rosenberg….. “I have no problem with Iowa and New
Hampshire being part of the early states, but their days as the sole
arbiters of who our nominee is should come to an end,” he said Friday.
The
Democratic National Committee formed a 40-member panel a week ago to
study whether to shake up the dominance that Iowa and New Hampshire
hold in presidential nominations.
MercuryNews.com
However, two Iowans on the 40-member commission believe Iowa’s status is safe.
Des
Moines lawyer Roxanne Conlin, a former Iowa Democratic Party chairman
and the party's 1982 candidate for governor, says Iowa has earned the
status through years of hard work. Des Moines lawyer and
Democratic activist Jerry Crawford says Iowa activists have an edge in
the debate because the caucuses have proven to be a positive force for
the party.
WOI-TV.com
Blog For Iowa 
I think that the point that Iowa is not very diverse is a good one, and may argue for changing our “first in the nation” status. However, I also think that having small states such as Iowa and New Hampshire go early in the process makes it possible for strong candidates without a huge stockpile of money get a fair vetting. And, it may allow candidates time to develop a strong message and get their feet under them before they have to go into the more populous states, where the cost of mass media messages may rule many possibly strong candidates out before anyone really gets a chance to know them. I am, thus, of two minds about Iowa's FITN status. What do you all think?
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I believe that the key to change the nomination process is not to get rid of the early Iowa and New Hampshire contests but to lengthen out the process in a methodical manner. That way candidates that did not do well in earlier contests could regroup and refocus their message. While candidates that did well could be scrutinized more closely by the electorate. The shortened primary season turned into a momentum contest which Kerry won. If it had been more drawn out, the results could have been different and we could have had a different result in November.
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