WASHINGTON, D.C. — Iowa Democrats will make their case Thursday morning to keep the state’s first in the nation status when it comes to the Iowa Caucuses.

Party leaders will be presenting to the Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee around 8:25 a.m.

Following the confusion and delay in results from the 2020 Iowa Caucus, the DNC stripped Iowa of its first in the nation status. Three other states lost their first in the nation spots as well after the 2020 election cycle.

Applications for five new waivers have been opened up, meaning five states will get the chance to hold their primary or caucuses in February ahead of everyone else.

Seventeen states or territories have applied, including Iowa, and they are making their cases to the DNC’s committee this week.

The DNC is expected to look at the diversity and competitiveness of the five states they choose and some say that could cause problems for Iowa.

The 2020 Census showed Iowa’s population is 90 percent white, making the diversity requirement difficult to overcome.

But the head of the Iowa Democratic Party says past caucus results are evidence demographics shouldn’t be an issue.

“They’ve listed diversity but they’ve not talked about what type of diversity. That’s a pretty broad category. And I will start if their focus is racial diversity, I would say that first of all, there wouldn’t be President Obama without Iowa,” said Ross Wilburn, Chair of the Iowa Democratic Party.

You can watch Iowa’s presentation LIVE on www.WHO13.com.