Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks has retained her seat in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District following a recount that confirmed her narrow victory over Democrat Christina Bohannan. Miller-Meeks, a Republican, secured her win by less than one percentage point, or fewer than 1,000 votes, in one of the nation’s closest races this cycle.
Miller-Meeks expressed gratitude for her reelection, emphasizing her commitment to tackling key issues like lowering prices, securing the border, and supporting Iowa’s farmers. She also looks forward to continuing her work in Congress representing a district that includes eastern Iowa and Johnson County, home to the University of Iowa.
The race was a rematch of their 2022 contest, where Miller-Meeks defeated Bohannan by a wider seven-point margin.
The Associated Press called the race on Wednesday afternoon after the recount, which was requested by Bohannan on November 14. Bohannan sought to ensure “every voter is heard,” according to her campaign. After the recount results were finalized, Bohannan congratulated Miller-Meeks and praised her campaign’s efforts in making the district competitive despite challenging odds.
Miller-Meeks’ campaign criticized the recount request as an unnecessary expense, labeling it a “delaying tactic” by Democrats. The campaign argued that the recount was unlikely to alter the outcome due to the small margin involved. Because the margin was under one percent, the state covered the costs of the recount across all 20 counties in the district.
This win solidifies Republican dominance in Iowa’s congressional delegation. The GOP retained all four of the state’s seats, maintaining a sweep first achieved in 2022. Iowa’s rightward shift has been evident in recent years, with districts along the Mississippi River that once supported Barack Obama now backing Republican candidates like Miller-Meeks.
The 2024 election cycle brought significant national attention and campaign spending to Iowa, particularly in its competitive 1st and 3rd District races. In the 3rd District, Republican Zach Nunn defeated Democrat Lanon Baccam to keep the seat in GOP hands. Republican incumbents Ashley Hinson in the 2nd District and Randy Feenstra in the 4th District also won decisively against their Democratic challengers.
