Iowa Dems declare neutrality in caucuses

[Ron Burgundy]

AP - Iowa Democrats declared on Saturday the party would remain neutral in the state's leadoff presidential caucuses in 2008 even though popular Gov. Tom Vilsack is seeking the nomination.

"We like fair and contested elections," said the state party's new chairman, Scott Brennan. "There are a lot of folks out there who have supported a lot of candidates over time."

Vilsack, who is leaving office after two terms, made official his candidacy last week, putting many top Iowa Democrats on the spot. They relish the attention the state gets by its first-in-the-nation status in the election calendar. Yet they worry that Vilsack's presence in the race could persuade potential rivals to skip Iowa, rendering the caucuses meaningless.

Brennan, a Des Moines lawyer picked for the Democratic post on Saturday, sought to ease those concerns, pushing the party's governing board to adopt a resolution declaring neutrality.

"The highest priority for the Iowa Democratic Party will be to guarantee that the 2008 caucus is fair and objective and that all interested parties perceive the 2008 Iowa Democratic Party caucus to be fair and objective," the resolution declared.

Brennan, a veteran Democratic activist, said he backed former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., in the last election cycle. He added that he has met with potential candidates for the White House and said they intend to make it a race in Iowa despite Vilsack's presence.

"Governor Vilsack is well liked in this state and should have an early advantage," Brennan said. "Other people will come out here and work very hard. The Iowa caucuses have a long history of fairness and neutrality and we're going to stick with that."

Edwards, the vice presidential nominee in 2004, was in the state last week and Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh (news, bio, voting record) plans a swing early this week.

Vilsack's presence in the field causes headaches for many Democrats. Unlike primary elections, which are run by state election officials, precinct caucuses are run by the respective political parties.

"All practices, policies and procedures have been fair and unbiased and every effort has been made to ensure that the results of the caucuses are accurate and true," according to the resolution approved Saturday.

Vilsack faces a far different political calculation than did Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin (news, bio, voting record) when he sought the Democratic nomination in 1992. When Harkin ran, all of his rivals skipped the Iowa caucuses to focus on New Hampshire and its leadoff primary. Harkin won a lopsided victory in his home state, but got little attention and was quickly forced out of the race.

The challenge for Vilsack would be to meet expectations that he will win a lopsided victory in his home state. Anything less probably would be seen as a setback.