Iowa Dems to Join GOP for Early Caucus

Latest ‘first in the nation’ move should be okayed Sunday

By Jonas Oransky, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 25, 2007 7:15 PM CDT

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Iowa Dems to Join GOP for Early Caucus — Democratic presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., and his wife Michelle embrace after she introduced him at a campaign event at the fairgrounds in Atlantic, Iowa Aug. 16, 2007. Friends see similarities in how Obama approaches politics and poker. "If he was going to play the hand, he knew... (Associated Press)

Dems will likely okay a January 3 date for Iowa caucuses and help the state stay ahead of New Hampshire in the rush for earliest caucus. Iowa Democratic Chairman Scott Brennan has already endorsed the date. "It was a recommendation that was not come to lightly," said a Dem spokeswoman. A Democratic committee is set to decide the date on Sunday, the AP reports.

Iowa's GOP officials have already approved the date and applaud the Dem move. “If we separate on this issue, it will give other states a chance to move ahead of us," said Iowa GOP Chairman Ray Hoffmann. Florida and Michigan set the tone by bumping up primary dates to January 29 and January 15, respectively. New Hampshire is keeping its date secret until next month, but promises a caucus by January 8. (More Iowa stories.)

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