One figure recognized by reporters as well as politicians at the Iowa Caucuses media center in Des Moines on Monday was Don Fowler, one of the two oldest living former chairs of the Democratic National Committee and inarguably one of the respected "wise men" of his party.
Fowler, 84, was an especially noteworthy figure in large part because his name continues to surface as the leader of an eventual behind-the-scenes force to stop Sen. Bernie Sanders if the independent Vermont senator emerges as the favorite for the Democratic presidential nomination.
"I'm neutral in this race — not for anyone," Fowler told us. "I want to see us win in November. That's what's important."
But Fowler has participated in private meetings of Democrats who fear a nomination of Sanders would result in certain re-election for President Donald Trump.
Among the matters discussed at these meetings has been reversing a party rule that would permit superdelegates — that is, elected and party officials who are automatic delegates without being elected — to vote on the first ballot of the nominating convention.
Under Democratic National Committee chairman Tom Perez, the DNC amended party rules to ban superdelegates from voting on the first ballot of the national convention and only on subsequent ballots.
The rules change had the strong backing of Sanders supporters, whose candidate had minimal backing from the superdelegates in his close nomination fight with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton four years ago.
Of discussions about revising the rules to bring back superdelegates on the first ballot, Fowler recently told Politico: "There's talk about somehow trying to change this rule at this convention — just casual conversation, and I have participated in it some."
But the South Carolinian, who opposed the rules change weakening the superdelegates, quickly added, "I want to be clear that I would not be a party to [return the superdelegates' first ballot vote] in the 2020 convention … It's bad sportsmanship."
Speculation persists, however, that Fowler will be active in trying to stop the nomination of Sanders.
Four years ago, Fowler said of the angry behavior of some Sanders supporters toward Clinton after she secured the nomination: "This is all very sad, and a very unfortunate occurrence. Hillary Clinton has done so many good things, she deserves better than this."
Fowler was a close family friend of the Clintons and an early backer of Hillary Clinton for president. Whether his feelings remain without her in the race will likely determine how committed he is to stopping Sanders this year.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.