WASHINGTON (AP) – The chairman of the Democratic National Committee said Sunday he supports having racially diverse states vote early in the presidential selection process, although there was “wiggle room” in the details.

“It’s certainly a good idea to have more geographic diversity and more ethnic diversity in the Democratic nominating process,” said Howard Dean. “We are committed to leaving Iowa first as the first caucus in the country and New Hampshire as the first primary in the country.”

On Saturday, the Democratic Party’s rules and bylaws committee agreed to move one or two state caucuses ahead of New Hampshire, which could cause a confrontation with that state, traditionally the site of the first presidential primary.

Dean, speaking on CNN’s “Late Edition,” said he hadn’t met yet with the rules committee but was committed to having diversity early in the selection process.

“There’s some wiggle room,” he said. “There will be earlier events, and there will be some events, or at least one event in between Iowa and New Hampshire.”

Minorities have been pushing for more of a voice in the early voting, noting that Iowa and New Hampshire are overwhelmingly white. The new early states could come from the South and West to provide regional diversity as well.