Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, described her likely Democrat opponent, Christina Bohannan, as "too extreme and radical to be in Congress" during a Friday appearance on Newsmax.
Miller-Meeks, a physician seeking reelection in Iowa's 1st Congressional District, called the seat essential for Republicans to retain control of the U.S. House.
A June 2025 poll commissioned by House Majority PAC showed Bohannan leading Miller-Meeks 43% to 39% in a hypothetical matchup.
The district's June 2 primary and Nov. 3 general election will test that hold in a race that national forecasters in February have now rated a toss-up.
"The 1st Congressional District in Iowa is the key to the majority. It is a must-keep seat for us," Miller-Meeks said during an appearance on "Greg Kelly Reports."
Miller-Meeks, who grew up in humble circumstances, left home at age 16 to attend junior college, enlisted in the Army at 18, and worked her way through medical school, said she understands the struggles of working families.
She emphasized support for tax cuts that let people keep more of what they earn and contrasted that with Democratic votes to raise taxes.
Turning to Bohannan, who has run for the seat before and served in the Iowa House, Miller-Meeks said the candidate has "a very radical record."
During her time in the Iowa House, Bohannan voted against a proposed constitutional amendment to repeal the right to abortion and against a bill reducing the state income tax rate to a flat 4% by 2026.
She also opposed the "Back the Blue" bill that expanded police protections and penalties for protesters.
She cited Bohannan's former role as chair of the University of Iowa's diversity, equity, and inclusion program. She added that Bohannan had not condemned antisemitic comments by University of Iowa Democrats after the Hamas attack on Israel and had only recently emphasized border security and affordability when it became politically "favorable for her to do so."
"She's as far-left progressive as they come," Miller-Meeks said. "And it's not Iowa values, and it's certainly not America's values that she supports."
She predicted Bohannan would support impeaching President Donald Trump and would not back immigration enforcement or Customs and Border Protection.
"It's important that we don't go back to that ... we don't go back to impeachment after impeachment, after impeachment of President Trump, if they get the majority in the House," she said.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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