Iowa Republicans set 2024 caucus date

DES MOINES — Iowa Republicans will hold their upcoming presidential caucuses on Jan. 15, 2024, the state party announced Saturday.

The announcement resolves one uncertainty about the 2024 Iowa caucuses, but much still is in question as Iowa Democrats seek to hold an early caucus while following rules set by the Democratic National Committee last year that kicked Iowa Democrats from the first-in-the-nation spot.

Iowa GOP chair Jeff Kaufmann criticized Iowa Democrats’ previous caucus proposals — which included conducting the presidential selection process mostly by mail — in his announcement on Saturday.

“After our state legislature and governor took needed action earlier this year to preempt Iowa Democrats' plans to derail the Iowa Caucus by running a de facto primary election instead, we are also proud to affirm that Iowa will continue to honor our half-century-old promises to the other carveout states,” he said in a statement. "We remain committed to maintaining Iowa's cherished first-in-the-nation caucuses, and look forward to holding a historic caucus in the coming months and defeating Joe Biden come November 2024."

Generally the one point of agreement between Iowa Democrats and Republicans, the caucus process has become fractious as Republicans have accused Democrats of threatening Iowa’s first-in-the-nation status with their mail-in caucus proposal.

Republicans said that process would be considered a primary, and cause New Hampshire, the first primary state, to jump ahead of Iowa in the presidential selection process. Democrats argued that was premature, as their caucus process is not finalized.

The DNC rules committee denied Iowa Democrats’ plan in June, and they have not submitted a new delegate selection plan. Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart said in a statement Saturday the party did not have any input on the Republicans' choice of caucus date.

“No matter what, Iowa Democrats are committed to moving forward with the most inclusive caucus process in Iowa's history. We’re committed to doing what's good for Democrats, what's good for Iowa, and what's good for democracy,” she said.

Kaufmann said in a news conference Saturday that party officials had notified each other in the past of when they planned to hold their caucus, but it has not been a joint decision.

He criticized Hart's decisions in pursuing a mail-in participation system, saying that led to the misalignment between the parties.

"The moment that they went for a primary, the moment they decided to go with the primary, the moment they decided to play politics with this, is the moment that the communication broke down," he said.

Iowa Republican lawmakers also moved to constrain Iowa Democrats during the legislative session this year. Republicans passed, and Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds signed, a law that requires parties to hold their caucuses in person if the purpose of the caucus is to select delegates for the presidential nomination.

The caucus date falls on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday. Kaufmann said that may allow for more participation, but it was not the primary motivator. Instead, it was the earliest Monday that worked with the other early states' plans.

Kaufmann also said Republicans still are working on the rules of participation in the caucuses. The law passed earlier this year allowed parties to set their own participation criteria for the caucus, including a registration deadline. Previously, Iowa law required parties to allow voters to register with the party on the same day as the caucus.

Kaufmann and other Republicans have said a registration deadline would be necessary to prevent Democrats from participating in their caucus if the Democratic caucus is on a different day, but Democrats have not suggested any plans to do that. It is illegal under Iowa law to participate in both parties' caucuses.

But, Kaufmann said, the party also is considering rules to prevent interest or advocacy groups from having an outsize influence in the caucus.

"Trying to prevent not just Democrats — mostly Democrats — But also some other elements even within our party that may be targeting one particular candidate, or interest groups and advocacy groups, what we need to do to address that," he said. "Certainly giving an amount of days of which you have to be registered Republican is one way."

Iowa Republicans are garnering most of the caucus attention this year, as it is the first for more than a dozen candidates who are vying for the party’s presidential nomination. President Donald Trump currently leads in polling, but the caucuses will be the first test of the candidates’ electoral strength.

President Joe Biden is expected to easily hold onto the Democratic Party’s nomination, though he faces minor primary challengers like Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Iowa Republicans are garnering most of the caucus attention this year, as it is the first for more than a dozen candidates who are vying for the party’s presidential nomination. President Donald Trump currently leads in polling, but the caucuses will be the first test of the candidates’ electoral strength.

President Joe Biden is expected to easily hold onto the Democratic Party’s nomination, though he faces minor primary challengers like Robert F. Kennedy Jr.