Iowa Democrats fear losing first-in-the-nation status – POLITICO

Pressley rebuked Iowans who point to Obama as an example that Iowa and New Hampshire going first and second on the primary calendar doesnt put candidates of color at a disadvantage.

"You know what, people use Obama for everything: 'This is supposed to be our evidence of a post racial America,'" Pressley said in an interview, referring to the arguments made after Obama was elected. "Ultimately, whether we're talking about racial justice or leadership parity or political representation, it's not about these exceptional anomalies and one-offs. It's about system change."

Iowa community organizer Chelsea Chism-Vargas, who is mixed race and of Afro Latin descent, praised Castro, now a Warren surrogate, for bringing the issue of Iowas status to the forefront this cycle.

We shouldn't be first, this isn't fair, said Chism-Vargas, who is running for the Des Moines City Council. We want a better country and not just a better Iowa.

Iowa is expected to have six Spanish satellite caucuses in preparation for roughly 20,000 of the 194,000 Latinos living in the state to participate. But Latinos on the ground and activist groups are concerned it still may not be enough.

Domingo Garcia, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, and Hector Sanchez Barba, executive director of Mi Familia Vota, both said its time for a more diverse state that reflects the partys base and countrys makeup to go first.

Its an example of how imperfect our democracy is, Sanchez Barba said. The caucuses are totally intimidating and are not welcoming of communities of color, especially for Latinos and immigrants.

At a recent Biden event in Ankeny, outside Des Moines, two voters pointed out the lack of diversity in the room, which was almost entirely white.

Look at the crowd, said Vernon Naffier, a Biden supporter. We do not represent the nation very well. Wed like to see more diversity.

But Biden himself has a different, more favorable view of the caucuses here.

When I go around and people say, Why Iowa, why Iowa first, Iowas not that diverse, and its because yall take it seriously, the former vice president said at an event at the University of Iowa this week. You look beyond whats just happening in Iowa. You really do.

And Castro? Now a surrogate for Warren, he is taking a measured tone.

What Ive said is that theres going to be an opportunity after this 2020 process to think about how the DNC can improve the debate thresholds, the order of the states; were going to have that conversation after this 2020 process, right?" Castro said after an event for Warren in Ankeny this week. "But I think the people of Iowa take their role very seriously. Ive always acknowledged that, and I believe that theyre going to take their role seriously again this time.

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Iowa Democrats fear losing first-in-the-nation status - POLITICO