Republicans are on track to launch their 2024 presidential primary in Iowa after a key panel advanced a proposed calendar preserving the caucuses as the first contest on the party’s nominating calendar.
During a Republican National Committee business meeting, the national GOP’s Presidential Nominating Process Committee voted to make no changes to the order of voting in presidential primaries among the key early primary and caucus states. This proposal was sent to the RNC Rules Committee, where it will be considered later this year. But Jeff Kaufmann, chairman of the Iowa Republican Party and the RNC Presidential Nominating Process Committee, does not expect opposition.
The full RNC could approve the proposal this summer. This calendar, same as the old calendar, would cement the Iowa caucuses as the first contest on the Republican Party’s 2024 primary calendar, followed by the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries and the Nevada caucuses.
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“Our very, very critical first step couldn’t have turned out better,” Kaufmann told RadioIowa.
Kaufmann had been in discussions with other members of the Presidential Nominating Process Committee for several weeks before the panel considered and voted on the proposed 2024 calendar during an annual winter business meeting held last week in Salt Lake City. Although there are more steps before the RNC locks the proposal in place, Kaufmann is confident it is on a glide path to win the full support of the national party.
The Republican Party’s enduring support for beginning the quadrennial presidential nomination process in Iowa stands in stark contrast to the Democrats, who increasingly favor beginning their primary season in a state with more ethnic diversity that better reflects their urban base.
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Helping fuel the Democrats’ consideration of demoting their Iowa caucuses is the Hawkeye State’s transformation since 2016 from a bona fide swing state to one that leans more decidedly Republican.
