On the rural implications of Democrats' abandoning Iowa caucus as first state presidential race

Art Cullen, Pulitzer-Prize winning editor of the Storm Lake Times (Iowa) writes for the New York Times on Democrats' decision to move away from Iowa being the first presidential contest, "Want to Know Why Democrats Lose Rural America?"  Some pithy excerpts follow:  

We get it. Let someone else take a turn up front. But discarding Iowa is not a great way to mend fences in rural America — where the Democratic brand has become virtually unmarketable.

The Democratic big shots hated Iowa’s pride of place since the caucuses rose to prominence a half-century ago because money couldn’t control the outcome. Jimmy Carter broke through from Plains, Ga., with nothing but a toothy smile and an honest streak. Candidates were forced to meet actual voters in village diners across the state. We took our vetting role seriously — you had better be ready to analyze Social Security’s actuarial prospects.

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Iowa has its problems. We are too white. The caucuses are complicated, confusing and clunky. The evening gatherings in homes, school gyms and libraries are not fully accessible and not as convenient as a primary for people with jobs and kids at home.

But diversity did have a chance here. Barack Obama was vaulted to the White House. Iowa actively encouraged Black candidates to challenge the white establishment. Mr. Obama beat Hillary Clinton here. Iowa had no problem giving a gay man, Pete Buttigieg, and a Jewish democratic socialist, Bernie Sanders, the two top tickets out to New Hampshire last cycle. Black, white or Latino, it’s organization that matters in Iowa. You have to herd your people to the caucus and keep them in your pen for an hour while other campaigns try to poach them. It’s town hall democracy. Mr. Obama won with it. Candidates who ran feeble campaigns have to blame something. Latinos in Storm Lake overwhelmingly caucused for Mr. Sanders. Julián Castro can complain all he wants.

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Despite all the attention, nothing really happened to stop the long decline as the state's Main Streets withered, farmers disappeared and the undocumented dwell in the shadows.  Republican or Democrat, the outcome was pretty much the same.  At least the Republicans will cut your taxes.  

So it's OK that South Carolina goes first.  Iowa can do without the bother.  The Republicans are sticking with Iowa; the Democrats consider it a lost cause.... Democrats are barely trying.  The results show it. 

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Donald Trump landed in Sioux City on the eve of the midterm elections to claim his stake before a large crowd buffeted by the gales out of Nebraska. “The Iowa way of life is under siege,” Mr. Trump bellowed. “We are a nation in decline. We are a failing nation.”

They loved him. The Democrats view the crowd as deplorable and told Iowa to get lost.

More on Democrats' recent failure to reach out to rural America is here and here.