DES MOINES, Iowa — Republican Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks secured her reelection on Wednesday after a recount affirmed her slim victory, further solidifying her party’s narrow majority in the U.S. House and maintaining control over all four congressional seats in Iowa.
In a message posted on the social platform X, Miller-Meeks expressed her “deep honor” in winning against Democrat Christina Bohannan, marking a rematch from the 2022 election, where she previously won by a wider margin of 7 percentage points. This time, however, the contest was much closer, with Miller-Meeks leading by less than one percentage point, equating to fewer than 1,000 votes.
“I am eager to resume my work in Washington to tackle issues like high gas prices, grocery costs, and prescription drug affordability, as well as to secure our borders and support farmers,” stated Miller-Meeks, who represents Iowa’s 1st District, an area covering the eastern part of the state and part of south-central Iowa, including Johnson County, where the University of Iowa is located.
Miller-Meeks first entered Congress by winning her initial term in the 2nd District in 2020, defeating Democrat Rita Hart by a mere six votes.
The Associated Press confirmed the election results at 4:02 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Although Miller-Meeks had proclaimed her victory earlier, the close margin left the AP hesitant to call the race until the recount was conducted.
On November 14, Bohannan’s campaign formally requested a recount, emphasizing their commitment to ensuring “every voter is heard.” Following the conclusion of the recount process, she took to X to congratulate Miller-Meeks.
“Even though this isn’t the outcome we hoped for, I am extremely proud of our campaign,” Bohannan stated. “We surpassed all expectations and turned a district that many experts predicted would be unwinnable into one of the closest races in the nation.”
The recount was requested for all 20 counties in the district. Given that the margin of victory was less than a percentage point, the state government covered the costs of the recount rather than the candidates.
Miller-Meeks’ campaign accused Bohannan and other Democrats of being “election deniers,” with Republicans asserting that Bohannan was squandering taxpayer resources.
“This move serves as a tactic to delay and disrupt the will of the voters,” stated the Miller-Meeks campaign in a November 14 press release. “A recount will not meaningfully affect the outcome of the race, as the congresswoman’s lead is virtually insurmountable.”
In addition to Miller-Meeks, Republican incumbents preserved their seats in Iowa’s other three congressional districts, ensuring complete GOP representation in the state’s congressional delegation. This victory marks the continuation of an all-Republican delegation, a phenomenon not seen in three decades that reflects the significant rightward shift in Iowa’s political landscape after former President Barack Obama’s wins in the state during 2008 and 2012.
Obama previously enjoyed strong support in eastern counties along the Mississippi River, areas that have largely backed former President Donald Trump since then, reinforcing Miller-Meeks’ foothold in her district.
This election cycle in Iowa featured two highly competitive congressional races—the 1st and 3rd Districts—drawing substantial financial investments from national party campaign committees for both Republicans and Democrats.
In the 3rd District, Republican Zach Nunn successfully countered the challenge posed by Democrat Lanon Baccam, a district that encompasses a large portion of the Des Moines metropolitan area.
Furthermore, Republican incumbents Ashley Hinson in the 2nd District and Randy Feenstra in the 4th District each triumphed decisively over their respective Democrat challengers, Hinson beating Sarah Corkery and Feenstra outperforming Ryan Melton.
