The Iowa Democratic Party has elected an interim chair following Troy Price’s resignation. Mark Smith of Marshalltown, a 10-term state representative, was voted as the party’s new interim leader on Saturday.
Price, who was in charge during the state’s caucuses earlier this month, resigned his poston Wednesday last week and received a standing ovation from members of the party’s State Central Committee as he ended his final speech as chair.
Smith is taking over the post as the party is beginning to recanvass some of the caucus night results by the request of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Former South Bend Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
“We had things that went wrong and that’s been in the news cycle and the front of people’s mind. This review will give us some answers in that regard but let’s keep in mind that most things went very well,” he said.
As conversations about the caucuses continue to unfold, Smith also says he will continue to push the Democratic National Committee to keep Iowa’s status as the first contest in the nominating process.
“We study the candidates very well. We give the candidates the opportunity to travel across the state and to meet with people and to hone their message as well. So I will make a strong argument that we should keep the caucuses here.”
TheIowa Democratic Party’s recanvassis expected to be completed this week.
