A 2012 nomination calendar that could help keep Iowa first in the
nation was one of the few items that quietly passed during Monday's
abbreviated session of the Republican National Convention. Iowa's role
is not directly addressed under the Republican rules adopted Monday,
since the caucuses are a non-binding straw poll. Like the Democrats,
Republicans appointed a commission to study calendar reform. This is
the first time Republicans have deferred final calendar decisions to a
post-convention body. The big difference is that the GOP has required
its commission to keep New Hampshire and South Carolina first in the
primary calendar. The Democrats have given their commission a clean
slate.

Labels: caucus, caucus dates, RPI