Gov. Terry Branstad said the plan being pushed in television and newspaper ads in the state, which would have Iowa award its six electoral votes to the candidate who receives the most voters nationwide, would "diminish" the state's first-in-the-nation prestige, the result of its status as the first primary nominating contest.
Without that incentive, candidates would likely ignore Iowa in favor of big population centers, Branstad said.
"We need to be relevant to the process, so candidates go to places like New Vienna and New Hampton, and not just New York City," Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn told the news agency.
Supporters of the plan, which includes former Iowa Gov. Chet Culver, contend that it would give every vote equal weight. Nine states, which command 132 Electoral College votes, have passed legislation to give their votes to the popular vote victor, but they aren't implementing it until states totaling 270 votes adopt the policy, Statehouse News Online reports.
