Low-key caucuses could play big role

Midterm caucuses aren’t the exciting affairs that put Iowa in the national spotlight during presidential election years.

But it’s at these quiet meetings that activists shape the state party platforms and choose county convention delegates. This year, there’s a chance that these low-key caucuses could play a role in the nomination of the Republican candidate for governor.

“The first place to really make your voice heard is by participating in local precinct caucuses,” said Matt Strawn, chairman of the Iowa Republican Party.

The 2010 Republican and Democratic caucuses will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. They are open to registered voters in each precinct. Voter registration is possible at the caucuses.

In the rare instance that no candidate in an Iowa primary election receives at least 35 percent of the vote, delegates to the county conventions decide who will be the party’s nominee. Those delegates are chosen at the caucuses.

For Democrats, it’s not a problem: Gov. Chet Culver does not have serious opposition in his bid for the nomination.

On the Republican side, Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats and former Gov. Terry Branstad are leading a pack of four candidates — at least in terms of fundraising. State Rep. Chris Rants of Sioux City and State Rep. Rod Roberts of Carroll also are running.

With four candidates in the mix, it’s possible that no candidate will receive at least 35 percent of the vote in the spring primary.

“If Roberts and Rants stay in the race and pull a percent or two, could they conceivably keep someone from getting 35 percent of the vote? It’s possible,” said Dennis Goldford, a Drake University political science professor.

That’s what happened in 2002, when U.S. Rep. Steve King first won the Republican nomination to represent the 5th Congressional District.

With four Republican hopefuls running in the primary, King received just 30 percent of the vote. It was only through support by delegates at county conventions that King won the nomination leading to his eventual election.

In a situation like that, it’s important to have loyal and active supporters. Vander Plaats recently received an endorsement from the political action committee associated with the Iowa Family Policy Center, one of the state’s major Christian groups. He has strong support among many Iowa social and religious conservatives, who are known for their political involvement.

“The problem with moderates is they’re moderate,” Goldford said. “They don’t get excited and enthused about things.”

If in the primary it comes down to Vander Plaats versus Branstad, who has a well-funded campaign, said Goldford, it could be “fervor versus money.”

That’s where Saturday’s caucuses come into play. Each candidate needs supporters elected as county delegates, in the event that the delegates end up deciding the nominee.

It’s not something that the campaigns are lobbying for actively, although spokesmen for both the Branstad and Vander Plaats campaigns urged Iowans to attend the caucuses.

Former Lt. Gov. Joy Corning, who served under Branstad, has been lobbying Republicans who embrace “traditional Republican principles” to show up and to try to exert influence over county delegates and the party’s platform, which have been dominated by the social and religious conservative wing of the party.

“This is an effort to be an all-inclusive party and not concentrate on the divisive issues where we disagree,” said Corning. In the interest of party unity, disagreements on issues such as stem cell research, abortion and same-sex marriage should be superseded by concerns on topics like fiscal responsibility, education and the size of government, she said.

Most likely, the importance of the caucus attendees and county delegates will be felt in the party platforms, not in the primary election. But if no candidate receives 35 percent, the candidates will be relying on their caucus-going supporters to save them from a political loss.

Contact the writer:

444-1310, elizabeth.ahlin@owh.com

« Metro/Region

Share