Iowa Gov. Chet Culver said he doesn't expect a new commission set up
to study the Democratic Party's nominating system to result in
significant changes to the caucuses or Iowa's first-in-the-nation
status. The party has approved the appointment of a 35-member panel to
study the primary and caucus system. A similar commission was set up
after the 2004 cycle and Iowa stayed first. However, the panel could
be a storm cloud on the horizon. "It will require, as it always does,
a lot of work" to keep Iowa first, Culver told reporters this
afternoon. To that end, Culver said he'd visit the New Hampshire
delegation tomorrow. Iowa and New Hampshire, which has the nation's
first primary, have historically worked together to keep other states
at bay.

Labels: caucus, Chet_Culver