It has been customary for many caucus locations to allow supporters from the various campaigns to bring a little bit of food - cookies, brownies, etc. - into the room to share with supporters and, perhaps, as some type of minor enticement to undecided attendees or attendees whose first choice is not viable. This apparently is being taken to new extremes this year. One particular campaign, and I cannot confirm which specific campaign, has apparently hired Hy-Vee (a major Iowa grocery chain) to provide catered food at caucus locations.
This has prompted the Linn County Democratic Party - the 2nd largest County - to prohibit all food at caucus locations. The County Party does not want to damage its relationship with the schools and other locations who are allowing the caucus to take place in their facilities. There is a concern that the mess associated with a large amount of food may cause schools, churches, or other providers of meeting spaces to turn down the County Party in four years when we try to find precinct locations for the next caucuses. So, in Linn County at least, there will be no Hy-Vee catering or food of any kind allowed.
I also spoke with the Chair of the Jones County Democrats - rural County next door to Linn County. He stated that food will be allowed at caucus locations in Jones County and he had not heard of campaigns planning to bring in food from caterers. So, presumably, if any campaign decides to show up at a Jones County caucus location with food from Hy-Vee or any other grocery store, they will essentially be able to offer dinner to just about anyone unless the particular precinct chairperson orders them to stop.
Handing out stickers, buttons, or homemade baked goods at the precinct location is both innocent and routine behavior. Providing transportation for folks who do not care to drive at night is simply a public service. On the other hand, I find the idea that a campaign may essentially buy dinner for caucus attendees at the caucus location itself to be a bit more troubling. It is really only one step removed from handing out ten-dollar bills at a caucus site.
The mixed reaction by local Party officials is to be expected. While a larger county Party may have the infrastructure in place to be aware of the idea of catered food and respond to it, smaller counties are simply less likely to be in a position to do anything.
For all the money we may have spent unwisely in Iowa on the Dean Campaign, we never attempted to give caucus attendees an item of value at or near the actual caucus location. While I do not think that the mere offer of a ham sandwich will sway too many Iowa Democrats, a systematic effort of mere offers may create an appearance of impropriety that we should try to avoid in order to maintain the integrity of the Iowa Caucuses.
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