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First In The Nation: The Iowa Caucuses And The Calendar

Wind turbines are seen in a corn field behind a farm in Rippey, Iowa.
Wind turbines are seen in a corn field behind a farm in Rippey, Iowa.

The Iowa caucuses are upon us. The Democrats’ first step towards choosing a challenger to take on President Donald Trump in the general election is an honored tradition in which many Iowans are proud to take part.

But not everyone thinks the state should go first. Critics of the state’s position in the election pecking order have pointed out that Iowa’s demographics don’t represent those of the country at large.

No city in Iowa has a population of more than 250,000 people, and its population is overwhelmingly white.

Why does Iowa get to go first? And if voters wanted a change — how would that happen?

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Haili Blassingame