Iowa hangs on to 1st in nation caucuses

In an effort to open up the primary process, the Democratic party recently met to debate the issue and make recommendations. Iowa dodged a bullet by hanging on to it's first in the nation status.

A national Democratic Party commission voted Saturday to maintain Iowa’s first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses in 2008, but voted to allow other caucuses to be held between the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, which traditionally has gone second.

Commissioner Jerry Crawford of Des Moines said the decision amounts to a “big victory” for the Iowa caucuses, which have for decades marked the start of the presidential primary season.

"We are very grateful that Iowa will remain first in the nation," he said.

Many commissioners cited a need to open up the process to more racially diverse states, especially those in the south and the west. The recommendation would add one or two caucuses from those regions between the Iowa and New Hampshire contests.

Crawford said Iowa had many "high-powered adversaries" and was still able to prevail.

But he said it’s difficult to predict whether the changes will increase or decrease the impact of the Iowa caucuses.

"I don’t think that it’s really possible to say, one way or the other whether it will or will not, but certainly Iowa has preserved a continuing important role with today’s decision," Crawford said.

The recommendation still must be approved by a rules committee and then the Democratic National Committee in April. It will be up to the rules committee to decide which states and how many would hold caucuses between Iowa and New Hampshire.

Crawford said Iowa would present a proposal to the rules committee that would set the Iowa caucuses for Jan. 14, 2008, followed eight days later by a caucus in a western or southern swing state. The New Hampshire primary would be held 15 days after the Iowa caucuses under that plan.