DNC Targets Iowa Caucuses as New Hampshire Eyes First-in-Nation Slot

For decades, Iowa has held the coveted first-in-the-nation spot in the Democratic presidential nominating process. Now, that tradition is under direct threat. The Democratic National Committee's rules committee appears ready to dump the Iowa caucuses, and New Hampshire is positioning itself to take the lead.

The potential calendar shakeup has significant implications for Iowa voters, who have long prided themselves on their outsized role in vetting presidential candidates. If the DNC moves forward, it would mark a dramatic shift away from the heartland and toward coastal priorities that some argue leave everyday voters behind.

New Hampshire Builds Its Case

New Hampshire has for years gone second after Iowa's caucuses. But if the DNC rules committee eliminates caucuses altogether, as it has hinted, the calendar order opens up. The only other serious challenger for the top slot is Nevada, which is leaning on its diversity to make the jump from third to first.

New Hampshire, however, fits well on two criteria that the party's rules committee wants to prioritize for its early primaries: general election competitiveness and regional diversity. Democrats in most other New England states are standing behind New Hampshire rather than launching their own bids for early-state status.