Off-year Iowa caucuses lack presidential election drama, but key to party-building

Call it the informal kick-off to Campaign 2014.

Iowa Democrats and Republicans will gather at 7 p.m. Jan. 21 at churches, schools, fire stations and city halls to set their respective party agendas and hear from candidates.

“It's really 'go time'” for the campaign, says Josh Wilson, who's heading Rep. Walt Rogers' campaign for the GOP nomination in Iowa's U.S. House 1st District.

Although the campaigns have been underway for some time now, campaign officials say voters tend to wait until the year of the election to start paying attention.

Make no mistake; however, this is not your presidential election year caucuses. For one thing, turnout will be lighter.

“There won't be lines out the door,” says Sam Roecker of Dave O'Brien's campaign for the Democratic nomination in the 1st District.

Still, caucuses are important for party-building, for recruiting volunteers and developing a strong grassroots organization, according to the parties.

Although Tuesday's caucuses will lack the drama of the straw polls and preferences groups that are part of presidential year gatherings, “activists will be excited to get involved in as delegates and in writing the platform,” says Paul Smith of Rod Blum's 1st District GOP campaign.

Delegates will be elected from each party's 1,683 precincts will have additional importance this year because of the six-way GOP race for the U.S. Senate nomination and a five-way race for the Democratic nomination in the 1st District.

“Obviously, our goal is to win it outright,” says Brenda Kole of Monica Vernon's 1st District campaign. “But everyone is aware of the 35 percent rule and it's important to be thinking about that.”

Under Iowa law, a candidate must get at least 35 percent of the vote in a primary to be the nominee. If no one gets 35 percent, the nominee will be chosen by convention.

Unlike presidential year caucuses, it's unlikely Democrats will form preference groups to show which candidate has the most support. The largest preference group likely would be “undecided,” Kole says.

“People are keeping their choices close to their vest,” she says.

At best, says Aaron Bly of Pat Murphy's 1st District Democratic campaign, the caucuses will show “a decent snapshot of each candidate's support.”

At GOP caucuses, the delegate selection and the resolutions introduced might indicate the direction of the party. So-called “liberty Republicans” control most of the state party offices. Gov. Terry Branstad, however, has mounted a campaign to get more “mainstream” Republicans to participate in the caucuses.

“We'll know a little bit more about the factions and who has the upper hand after Tuesday night,” Wilson said.

To find a Democratic caucus, visit http://thecaucuses.org/.

For Republican caucus sites, visit http://www.iowagop.org/2014-caucus-page/.