Democrat Secretary of State makes appeal to Republican delegates

Secretary of State Chet Culver is making a direct appeal to the Iowans who’ll be attending the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia next week. He wants them to push to keep Iowa first in the nation when it comes to selecting a president.The G-O-P’s Rules Committee is considering a schedule for primaries and caucuses in 2004 which doesn’t put Iowa’s Caucuses first. Culver, who is a democrat, has sent a letter to each Iowa delegate to the Republican National Convention.Culver says the bottom line is to press for whatever plan keeps Iowa first.Culver says Democrats, at the urging of presumed nominee Al Gore, have decided not to change the schedule of primaries and caucuses — so Iowa will be first for Democrats in 2004.As Secretary of State, Culver is the state Commissioner of Elections. The Republican National Convention begins Monday, July 31st, but the party’s Rules Committee will debate Iowa’s fate beforehand at meetings in Philadelphia this weekend. (