The Iowa Republican Party is grumbling that Trump was declared the winner too early, but it was the Republican Party that gave the results to the media.
Iowa Republican Party Chair Jeff Kaufmann blamed the media in a statement:
Media outlets calling the results of the 2024 first-in-the-nation caucus less than half an hour after precinct caucuses had been called to order — before the overwhelming majority of Iowans had even cast their ballot — was highly disappointing and concerning. One of the key differences between the Iowa Caucus and a standard primary election is that Iowans have the chance to listen to presidential candidates or their surrogates and deliberate to make an informed decision. “There was no need to rush one of the most transparent, grassroots democratic processes in the country.
There is just one problem.
The Iowa Republican Party gave the results to the media:
If the Iowa GOP believes this — which, to be clear, is a totally reasonable belief to hold — why was the Iowa GOP releasing results to the media before people voted? https://t.co/HF62ru4H6q
— Zach Montellaro (@ZachMontellaro) January 16, 2024
If the Republican Party did not want the results to be reported, then they shouldn’t have given them to the media. If the caucus process needs time, the party needs to give it time. In Iowa, the caucuses are run by each political party, not by the state.
Each presidential election cycle, Iowa continues to show why they and their caucuses should not be first in the nation. There was no drama in the caucus. Everybody knew that Trump was going to win, but if the Iowa Republican Party cared about participation by voters, they should stop releasing early results to the media.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
