In her fourth bid for the U.S. House, Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks last week clung to a lead of 47 votes in Iowa’s open 2nd District.
“That’s just 40 less than the number ‘Landslide Lyndon’ won his first Senate race!” Bill Keettel, former Johnson County (Iowa) Republican chairman, told Newsmax Sunday night, referring to the notorious 1948 Democratic primary in Texas won by Lyndon B. Johnson by 87 votes.
Keettel felt that the ongoing count and handcount would uphold Miller-Meeks' lead in the closest House race in the nation. Under Hawkeye State law, the secretary of state’s office must certify the outcome of the race by November 30.
In the meantime, Miller-Meeks and Democrat opponent Rita Hart, the party’s 2018 nominee for lieutenant governor, are both in Washington for the freshman orientation for congressmen from their respective parties.
A physician, U.S. Army Reserve officer, and state senator, Miller-Meeks waged three strong-but-losing campaigns against Democrat Rep. Dave Loebsack in 2008 (37%), 2010 (46%), and ’14 (47%).
When Loebsack announced his retirement this year, Miller-Meeks jumped immediately into the race to succeed him.
“Mariannette got stronger each time, so she wasn’t written off as a perennial candidate,” Keettel told Newsmax. “And this time, she had especially strong support from Steve Scheffler [Iowa’s GOP National Committeeman and state head of the Faith and Freedom Coalition].”
Miller-Meeks campaigned as a supporter of President Trump, a pro-lifer, and backer of traditional marriage.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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