How will Iowa businesses fare when the first-in-the-nation caucuses go away?

SCOTT, YOU KNOW, RAYGUN SHIRTS HERE IN THE EAST VILLAGE GOT A HUGE BOOST WHEN IT OPENED JUST BEFORE THE 2008 CAUCUSES. GOT A LARGE AMOUNT OF NATIONAL ATTENTION AND NOW THEY’RE WORRIED THAT COULD CHANGE. YEAH, WE KIND OF WENT ALL IN ON THE CAUCUSES. RAYGUN OWNER AND FOUNDER MIKE DRAPER LOVES THE IOWA CAUCUSES. IT’S GOOD FOR HIS T-SHIRT BUSINESS AND ALL IOWA BUSINESSES. THANK YOU, IOWA. REAGAN’S ORIGINAL BUILDING WAS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM BARACK OBAMA’S CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS BACK IN 2008. IT KIND OF CHANGED THE ENTIRE DYNAMIC OF THE CITY ALMOST. AND WE HAVE DONE WELL WITH EACH CAUCUS SINCE THEN, REALLY. AND THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSING FIRST IN THE NATION CAUCUS STATUS COULD SPELL TROUBLE. OBVIOUSLY, DISAPPOINT IN IT THAT IT’S NOT RETURNING JUST BECAUSE IT WAS A FUN THING TO HAVE. IT’S HUGE. IT’S A HUGE THING FOR US. IT’S A HUGE THING FOR THE STATE AND A HUGE LOSS. SO WE’RE DISAPPOINTED. CATCH DES MOINES CEO GREG EDWARDS SAID LOSING IOWA’S HISTORIC ROLE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS HAS ENORMOUS ECONOMIC IMPACT. IN JUST ONE WEEK, HEADING UP TO THE 2020 CAUCUSES, THE EVENT BROUGHT IN MORE THAN $11 MILLION TO THE DES MOINES METRO ALONE. IT’S A BIG LOSS TO HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS AND SHOPPING CENTERS. I MEAN, THE DOLLARS GO SO MANY PLACES, BUT IT REALLY IMPACTS A LOT OF BUSINESSES AND A LOT OF EMPLOYEES, TOO. WELL, THE IOWA CAUCUSES HAVE BEEN A REALLY BIG DEAL. THE MOY PARTNERSHIP CEO, JAY BYERS, ADMITS THE CURRENT DNC PROCESS IS NOT HELPFUL, BUT HE’S OPTIMISTIC IOWA’S HISTORIC CAUCUSES WILL CONTINUE IN SOME FASHION. THAT AND A PROMISE OF IOWA REPUBLICANS HOLDING THEIR CAUCUSES FIRST SHOULD SOFTEN THE BLOW. WHETHER OR NOT THE IOWA DEMOCRATIC PARTY DECIDES TO CONTINUE TO CHOOSE TO BE FIRST IN THE NATION REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE DNC SAYS OR IF THEY PICK A DIFFERENT DATE, WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME CANDIDATES FROM BOTH PARTIES AND THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA. AND JAY BYERS WITH THE PARTNERSHIP, SAYS, AS A REMINDER, THE 2024 CAUCUSES WILL PROBABLY BE A BIT MUTED ANYWAY, BECAUSE AS WE’VE ALL HEARD, JOE BIDEN WILL PROBABLY BE RUNNING AS THE ONLY CANDIDATE IF THERE WERE CAUCUSES THAT WILL HAVE A DOUBLE AND TOD

The financial impact of losing Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses is huge.Just ask the owner of Raygun Shirts, which got its big boost when it opened its doors shortly before the 2008 Iowa caucuses and the national exposure it brought him.“Yeah, we kind of went all in on the caucuses,” said Raygun founder and owner Mike Draper.Draper loves the Iowa caucuses. It's good for his T-shirt business and all Iowa businesses.Raygun’s original building was right across the street from Barack Obama’s campaign headquarters back in 2008.“It kind of changed the entire dynamic of the city almost and we have done well with each caucus since then, really,” Draper said.The possibility of losing first-in-the-nation status could spell trouble.“Obviously disappointed that it's not returning because it was a fun thing to have,” Draper said."It's huge, it's a huge thing for us, huge thing for the state and a huge loss, so we are disappointed,” said Catch Des Moines CEO Greg Edwards.Edwards says losing Iowa's historic role in the presidential elections has an enormous economic impact. In just one week leading up to the 2020 caucuses, the event brought in more than $11 million to the Des Moines metro alone.“It's a big loss to hotels and restaurants and shopping centers. The dollars go so many places. It really impacts a lot of businesses and a lot of employees too,” Edwards said.“Well, the Iowa caucuses have been a really big deal,” said Des Moines Partnership CEO Jay Byers.Byers admits the current DNC process is not helpful. But he's optimistic Iowa's historic caucuses will continue in some fashion. That, and a promise of Iowa Republicans holding their caucuses first should soften the blow.“Whether or not the Iowa democratic party decides to continue to choose to be first in the nation regardless of what the DNC says or if they pick a different date, we are going to have a great opportunity to welcome candidates from both parties and the national and international media,” Byers said. The Des Moines Partnership also reminds Iowans that the impact of the 2024 Iowa caucuses will be muted anyway because President Joe Biden will likely be the only candidate running that year. Click below to watch more from Todd Magel:

DES MOINES, Iowa —

The financial impact of losing Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses is huge.

Just ask the owner of Raygun Shirts, which got its big boost when it opened its doors shortly before the 2008 Iowa caucuses and the national exposure it brought him.

“Yeah, we kind of went all in on the caucuses,” said Raygun founder and owner Mike Draper.

Draper loves the Iowa caucuses. It's good for his T-shirt business and all Iowa businesses.

Raygun’s original building was right across the street from Barack Obama’s campaign headquarters back in 2008.

“It kind of changed the entire dynamic of the city almost and we have done well with each caucus since then, really,” Draper said.

The possibility of losing first-in-the-nation status could spell trouble.

“Obviously disappointed that it's not returning because it was a fun thing to have,” Draper said.

"It's huge, it's a huge thing for us, huge thing for the state and a huge loss, so we are disappointed,” said Catch Des Moines CEO Greg Edwards.

Edwards says losing Iowa's historic role in the presidential elections has an enormous economic impact. In just one week leading up to the 2020 caucuses, the event brought in more than $11 million to the Des Moines metro alone.

“It's a big loss to hotels and restaurants and shopping centers. The dollars go so many places. It really impacts a lot of businesses and a lot of employees too,” Edwards said.

“Well, the Iowa caucuses have been a really big deal,” said Des Moines Partnership CEO Jay Byers.

Byers admits the current DNC process is not helpful. But he's optimistic Iowa's historic caucuses will continue in some fashion. That, and a promise of Iowa Republicans holding their caucuses first should soften the blow.

“Whether or not the Iowa democratic party decides to continue to choose to be first in the nation regardless of what the DNC says or if they pick a different date, we are going to have a great opportunity to welcome candidates from both parties and the national and international media,” Byers said.

The Des Moines Partnership also reminds Iowans that the impact of the 2024 Iowa caucuses will be muted anyway because President Joe Biden will likely be the only candidate running that year.

Click below to watch more from Todd Magel:

How will Iowa businesses fare when the first-in-the-nation caucuses go away?

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