Dems Call for DNC Chairman Tom Perez’s Resignation Amid Iowa Caucus Chaos

Now that the dust has settled (slightly) on the Iowa Caucus debacle, fingers are now pointed at DNC Chairman Tom Perez. Many Democrats want to send Perez packing, calling for his immediate resignation.

In particular, he stirred distaste on Thursday by tweeting out a call for an immediate recanvass in Iowa. This request came shortly after the last of Iowa’s counts started coming in, which, according to an Iowa Democrat who spoke with Politico, came as a shock even to Iowa Democratic chair Troy Price. An assistant to Perez allegedly gave Price a one-minute warning that the call for a recanvass would be happening.

It’s not just about the caucus, either. As the New York Daily News pointed out, Perez is insufficient in several respects, failing to create compelling ratings for the televised debates and raising a mere fraction in fundraising compared to the RNC.

“He’s trying to protect himself,” the Democrat told Politico. “He got what he wanted, which is the end of the Iowa caucuses.”

Many Democrats have noted how Perez has distanced himself from the Iowa caucuses, perhaps in an attempt to scapegoat the Democratic party in Iowa.

“Where is Tom?” Washington Democratic chair Tina Podlodowski asked Politico during a phone interview. “It was very frustrating to not hear from the DNC for 48 hours, except for them throwing Troy under the bus.” Perez was noticeably silent during all the chaos, speaking out only to then, as Podlodowski sees it, cast the blame to the Iowa democrats.

Usually the call for a recanvass comes from presidential candidates. Back in 2016, Sanders’ campaign called for one in Kentucky. Ken Martin, the chair of the Association of State Democratic Committees, told Politico, “If there needs to be a recount or recanvass, the only people who can call for one are the 2020 candidates themselves.” He resolutely stood by the Iowa Democrats, expressing his gratitude for their actions during the pandemonium.

Throwing Iowa under the bus may not be Perez’s only prerogative, though. Sanders recently claimed victory in Iowa due to winning the popular vote, but, as CNN reported, Perez’s motivation behind the recanvass is partially due to how delegates were doled out to the satellite caucus sites (which are largely non-white and working class), the areas in which Sanders comprehensively defeated his competition.

“Oh yeah,” Ohio Dem Representative Marcia Fudge told Politico, “We’re a party in chaos.” Fudge is one of several officials now calling for Perez’s resignation. It seems Perez expected this, too—BuzzFeed reported on “exit packages” that had been prepared for Perez and two of his top deputies, which they had to abandon once the plans had been leaked.

As it stands, Perez has been backed into a corner, and it may force his resignation.