Democrats could strip Iowa of opening spot in 2024 campaign

By WILL WEISSERT and THOMAS BEAUMONT
Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democrats are poised to boot Iowa from its traditional lead-off spot in the presidential nominating calendar in 2024. It’s part of a broader effort to better reflect the party’s deeply diverse electorate by allowing less overwhelmingly white states to vote first. The Democratic National Committee rule-making arm is delaying the decision until after the November midterm election. But rules committee members say the party is leaning toward having either New Hampshire or Nevada go first — or perhaps on the same day. South Carolina would move from fourth to third. That’d free up a larger, midwestern state to perhaps go next, with Michigan and Minnesota making strong cases.