20 episodes
Caucus Land Iowa Public Radio
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- Government
The famed first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses are back. But things are different this time around. In 2024, the power dynamic in Iowa politics has completely shifted. The Democrats have essentially packed up and left. And the Republicans are taking the national stage alone to see what caucusgoers decide with an indicted former president dominating the candidate pack.The new season of Caucus Land looks at the Iowa caucuses through this lens to understand how we got here and why the mission of keeping Iowa first in the presidential race is so important to the state parties.This season of Caucus Land is a collaboration between Iowa Public Radio and the Midwest Newsroom.
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The perspective that is lost
Traditional Iowa news outlets are shrinking and have fewer resources to cover the Iowa caucuses. The remaining Republican presidential candidates make their case in the final weeks as misinformation blurs what potential caucusgoers know to be true.
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A tradition in name only
Presidential candidates have been rewarded in the Iowa caucuses for spending a lot of time traveling the state and meeting with voters. That strategy doesn’t seem to be working for those running against former President Donald Trump in 2024. A runaway victory for the former president could mark a major shift for campaigns and could spell even more trouble for the future of the Iowa caucuses.
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Iowa’s march to the right
Former President Donald Trump’s first campaign for president was unlike anything Iowa caucus goers had experienced before. Many voters clung to his right-wing populist message and still support him as he runs for the White House a third time. His election in 2016 marked a clear shift in Iowa’s politics that’s still very present today.
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Losing first-in-the-nation
Everything seemed to go well during the 2020 Iowa Democratic caucuses… until it came time to record the results. There was no momentum for any candidates on caucus night because of a faulty smartphone app. President Joe Biden had a poor showing and signaled the DNC to move Iowa back in the calendar ending the state’s coveted long held first-in-the-nation position.
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Introducing Caucus Land ‘24
Caucus Land returns for a limited-run second season. Our first of four episodes debuts Nov. 15. Here's a preview of Caucus Land ‘24.
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Caucus Meltdown
The 2020 Iowa Democratic caucuses devolved into chaos when the system for reporting results failed. Technical issues, human error and reporting inaccuracies delayed the outcome for days, and the repercussions are still playing out. On the twentieth episode of Caucus Land, we take a look at the app that broke the caucuses and how Iowa Democrats are responding.