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Analysis | Can Iowa Retain Its First-to-Vote Status?

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Analysis | Can Iowa Retain Its First-to-Vote Status?


Democrats are contemplating modifications of their 2024 presidential-nomination calendar, with greater than a dozen states vying to be added to the early portion of the sequence — and probably to switch Iowa as the primary state to vote. May it occur? Sure. Will it resolve actual issues if it does? Not essentially.The final drawback right here is that each events under-appreciate the benefits of stability, and lots of on the Democratic facet overvalue the significance of which specific states go first. These two issues are carefully associated. Secure guidelines and procedures are good for celebration coalition-building. The extra they change, the better the motivation for celebration teams and particular person candidates to go it alone, hoping they will sport the system to realize main benefits. That’s kind of how factional candidates George McGovern and Jimmy Carter captured Democratic nominations in 1972 and 1976. It might even have been a major consider how Donald Trump, one other factional candidate, gained the Republican nomination in 2016 (as defined in my chapter in “The Making of the Presidential Candidates 2020”). When guidelines and procedures keep largely the identical, celebration teams are pressured to compete and cooperate on even floor, which pushes them to kind broad coalitions to again the successful candidate. Since factional candidates are dangerous for his or her events, dangerous for democracy, and — bonus! — additionally are typically dangerous presidents, there’s lots to be mentioned for conserving issues largely the identical.In the meantime, the issues with Iowa and New Hampshire as the primary two states on the calendar are lower than they’re made out to be. Many Democrats don’t like these two states as a result of they don’t replicate the celebration’s ethnic variety. However presidential nominations are nationwide processes, and the ends in these two states are interpreted by celebration actors (and even the media) who’re properly conscious of the electorates there. That’s why Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg, neither of whom had demonstrated a lot attraction to Black voters, didn’t get main bounces from doing properly in these very white states — and why Joe Biden, who had well-known help amongst Black voters, was capable of survive doing poorly in each. It’s additionally why Barack Obama benefited a lot from successful in Iowa in 2008, since he wanted to show to celebration actors that he may win white voters.Sufficient Democrats understand all of this that it ought to be the top of the story, apart from one factor: Guidelines and procedures can’t be secure in a sequential nomination course of if the primary state to carry a nominating occasion can’t handle to rely the votes correctly. The actual drawback with Iowa isn’t that it’s not various sufficient. The actual drawback is that it might’t get its act collectively.As guidelines maven Josh Putnam reminds us, that also could not show to be a ample motivation to rearrange the calendar, primarily as a result of it’s so onerous to do. Nationwide events have severely restricted potential to regulate what states do, particularly in these during which presidential primaries are set by regulation. State legislators don’t need to hearken to what nationwide events inform them to do even once they’re in the identical celebration, and in states the place the opposite celebration has a majority, it’s even more durable to coordinate. So there’s an advanced dance involving what the nationwide Democrats need, what the nationwide Republicans need, what the related state events need, and what legislators and governors need. Over the previous 50 years, the system has been formed way more by what turned out to be workable pragmatic options than by any form of idealized total design. But the hodgepodge now we have has truly carried out higher than individuals assume. So regardless that Iowa presents an actual drawback, I’m not all that desirous to see vital reforms at this level.



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Iowa

Group calls for electric rate reform in Iowa

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Group calls for electric rate reform in Iowa


CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Four organizations have formed a an advocacy group calling for reform in the way utility companies set rate increases. The entities that make up the group are Iowa Business Energy Coalition, Iowa Economic Alliance, Iowa Business for Clean Energy, and Large Energy Group. Although the coalition doesn’t have a group name.

The group cited Alliant Energy’s most recent rate increase as a concern for both residents and businesses. Alliant’s increase was approved by the Iowa Utilities Commission back in Sept. In a news release, the group called Alliant a monopoly.

According to the U-S Energy Information Administration, Alliant had the highest electric rates in all of Iowa in 2023. And Iowa’s average rate was higher than 37 other states.

The advocate group said the cost of electricity is making it harder to operate a business in Iowa. It said the larger companies in Cedar Rapids like Quaker Oats and the hospitals already have expensive electric bills every month and the increase has added to that.

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“Some of these larger customers, their bills are a million dollars or more. So when you’re talking about some of the increases they’ve recently seen, a 15% increase, that’s a substantial impact,” Dave Vognsen with Large Energy Group said.

The business group also suggested changing how Iowa utilities can charge customers for future projects. Right now, electric companies can charge customers before they start a new project.

“What the utilities plan for in their resource plans are eventually going to be paid for by customers,” Vognsen said. “So that’s why it’s important to take a look and make sure you know that it’s the least cost based upon the needs of customers,” he said.

Ultimately, the group said it is pushing for legislation changes that would allow the Iowa Utilities Commission to regulate the way utility companies increase their rates, serving as a check of sorts.

“The commission can make sure those decisions are based on the best interests or rate payers and not just in the best interest of the utilities,” Bob Rafferty with Iowa Business for Clean Energy said.

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KCRG reached out to Alliant Energy about the group’s push for reform. It said in a statement:

“We remain committed to cost-effectively meeting customers’ energy supply needs. Investing in a diverse energy mix and modernizing the energy grid delivers a more reliable, sustainable, resilient and secure energy future. The IUC’s decision positions us to accomplish this as we continue planning ahead, acting on behalf of our customers to ensure we’re ready to manage the rapidly changing energy landscape,”



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Naturalized citizens sue Iowa officials for challenging 2,000 voters

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Naturalized citizens sue Iowa officials for challenging 2,000 voters


Naturalized citizens have sued Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate and other election officials after he instructed them to challenge the ballots of over 2,000 voters.

Last week, Pate’s office said that it gave county auditors a list of 2,022 people who told the state’s Department of Transportation that they were not citizens but later registered to vote or voted.

Since those voters may have become naturalized citizens in the time between telling the Transportation Department that they were not citizens and participating in the U.S. election process, Pate’s office told county auditors to challenge their ballots and have them cast a provisional ballot instead.

The voters would have seven days to show proof of citizenship before their ballot is counted.

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Stickers that read “Presidential Election I Voted 2024” are displayed on a table on the first day of Virginia’s in-person early voting at Long Bridge Park Aquatics and Fitness Center on September 20, 2024, in…


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ACLU Challenges Election Officials

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Iowa filed a lawsuit against Pate and five election auditors in federal court late Wednesday on behalf of four voters flagged by Pate as registered voters who might not be citizens and the League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa (LULAC).

According to the complaint, the four voters are naturalized citizens, one of whom registered last year, a day after he became a citizen.

“Yet he was placed on the Secretary’s covert list and wrongfully subjected to investigation and an election challenge for following the law and exercising his right to vote,” the complaint states.

The lawsuit alleges that Iowa election officials are burdening the right to vote and discriminating against naturalized citizens. Officials are treating this group of voters differently from others in violation of their constitutional right to equal protection, the suit claims.

The suit asks for the Transportation Department list to be revoked and for voters on it to not be challenged on this basis.

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Pate in a ‘Balancing’ Act

Pate told reporters Wednesday, before the lawsuit was filed, that the Transportation Department list is the “only list that we have available to us” without access to federal immigration records.

“We’re balancing this process. We want everyone to be able to vote. That’s why none of them have been taken off the voter rolls,” Pate said.

However, he added, “We do owe an obligation to make sure that they are citizens now.”

Republicans have made non-citizen voting a big issue ahead of the November 5 election. Despite it already being illegal for non-citizens to register to vote or to vote in federal elections, the Republican-led House voted to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act in July, which would require those registering to vote to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The bill remains in the House.

While there is no evidence that non-citizen voting is occurring in significant numbers, Iowa and some other states have identified dozens of such cases.

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‘We Will Defend Our Election Integrity’

Before the lawsuit was filed, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Justice “called the State in an attempt to pressure Iowa into letting noncitizens vote.”

“Every legal vote must count and not be canceled by an illegal vote,” she said. “In Iowa, we will defend our election integrity laws and protect the vote.”

A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment to the Associated Press (AP).

The AP also reached out to Pate and Bird on Thursday for comment on the lawsuit.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.

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Iowa men’s basketball: Four bold predictions for Hawkeyes’ 2024-25 season

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Iowa men’s basketball: Four bold predictions for Hawkeyes’ 2024-25 season


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IOWA CITY — The Iowa men’s basketball regular season is on the verge of getting underway.

After beating Minnesota Duluth, 102-81, in an exhibition, the Hawkeyes’ next contest is more than just a dress rehearsal. That comes Monday with the regular season opener against Texas A&M-Commerce.

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There are not exactly high expectations surrounding this Iowa team. The Hawkeyes were picked to finish 11th out of 18 teams in the Big Ten by a preseason media poll. Internally, though, there is optimism. 

“People are confident,” Payton Sandfort said at Big Ten Media Days. “Anyone that has been around practice this year thinks this team is special. The energy is different. The intensity is different. The attention to detail is different. I think it’s going to be a great year.”

To skeptics, Sandfort’s claim could be viewed as a bold prediction. 

In that spirit, here are some bold takes ahead of the Hawkeyes’ 2024-25 season.

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Iowa basketball’s Josh Dix will make an All-Big Ten team

This wouldn’t be that bold of a prediction if the conference hadn’t just added four new programs. But now with 18 teams, earning a spot on the All-Big Ten first, second, or third teams (more than 15 players can make them in total) becomes even more difficult.

That said, Dix should be considered a dark horse.

The flashes that Dix showed as a freshman became even more prominent as a sophomore. Last season, there was a phenomenal three-game stretch during Big Ten play in which he averaged 21.3 points on 68.4% from the field and 61.5% from deep.

It’s unrealistic to expect Dix to sustain those numbers across an entire season, but it’s one of the many signs pointing to him being capable of becoming a premier player in the league. Dix, a highly efficient scorer on all three levels, also adds value on the defensive end. Now as a junior, Dix is stepping into an even larger role, meaning the opportunity is there for him to put up big numbers.

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He scored 22 points against Minnesota Duluth on 9-of-12 from the field, including 2-of-4 from deep.

“I think the biggest thing he’s done, he’s gotten really aggressive,” Sandfort said of Dix after the contest. “He always had that. He was always showing it in practice but would be just kinda passive when we got into games… Now he has the confidence that he can dominate these teams. I’m excited to see the year he has.”

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Video: Payton Sandfort leads Iowa with 23 points in exhibition win

Payton Sandfort discusses a variety of topics after Iowa’s exhibition win over Minnesota Duluth.

Hawkeyes’ Brock Harding will finish top-5 in the Big Ten in assists per game

Harding’s sensational passing ability, coupled with Iowa’s offensive firepower makes this seem like a real possibility.

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His ability to share the rock was on display as a freshman. Harding’s 2.6 assists per game in limited playing time equates to 9.7 when extrapolated to a per 40-minute average. 

It’s unreasonable to expect him to average 40 minutes per game as a sophomore, but he is primed to get substantially more playing time, meaning last season’s assist numbers are likely to go up. With Dix, Owen Freeman and Sandfort all having the potential to be high-volume scorers, Harding shouldn’t have a shortage of opportunities.

Even in a Minnesota Duluth exhibition that wasn’t his best performance — Harding scored two points on 1-of-7 from the field — he still recorded six assists.

Northwestern’s Boo Buie finished last season fifth in the Big Ten in assists per game with five. Getting in that neighborhood doesn’t seem like a long shot for Harding.

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Pryce Sandfort will be Iowa men’s basketball’s top bench scorer

There are probably four realistic options to be Iowa’s leading bench scorer. It could be either of the transfers, Seydou Traore or Drew Thelwell. Freshman Cooper Koch deserves to be in the conversation, as well.

But Pryce Sandfort might be the one to earn that title.

After an inconsistent freshman season, word from inside the program has been pointedly positive about Pryce Sandfort. At Iowa men’s basketball media day, coach Fran McCaffery remarked that Pryce Sandfort was “shooting the ball at an incredibly high clip on a consistent basis.”

The exhibition against Minnesota Duluth showed how quickly Sandfort can score in bunches. He finished the first half without a point but scored 11 in the second half. He also played the most minutes out of Iowa’s reserves.

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At 6-foot-7, Pryce Sandfort can be a lethal 3-point shooter, but his offensive repertoire isn’t limited to that. With Iowa needing some scoring outside of Payton Sandfort, Freeman and Dix, Pryce Sandfort has the skill set to deliver.

Iowa Hawkeyes will have its best 3-point percentage since the 2020-21 season

The Hawkeyes shot 38.6% as a team in 2020-21. Four players shot 39% or better from deep, including three that shot at least 44%.

Since then, Iowa’s team 3-point percentages are as follows:

  • 2021-22: 36.3%
  • 2022-23: 34%
  • 2023-24: 35.1%

Iowa has a chance to shoot better in 2024-25 than it has in each of the last three seasons.

The Hawkeyes saw the departures of some lower percentage shooters, including Tony Perkins (29.9%) and Patrick McCaffery (31.2%).

Two of the players expected to be among the highest-volume shooters for Iowa this season are more than capable 3-point shooters in Dix and Payton Sandfort. Pryce Sandfort and Cooper Koch are known to be good shooters, as well.

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There are a handful of other X-factors. 

Harding shot 37.5% as a freshman even before adjusting his shooting form this offseason. Thelwell is a career 34.8% 3-point shooter. Freeman didn’t attempt many 3-pointers last season but has worked on expanding his game this offseason and could take more as a sophomore. Ladji Dembele and Traore can contribute from beyond the arc, though they haven’t proven to shoot a high percentage yet.

Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com





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