Iowa's 1st District race could take weeks to finalize
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Former Democratic state Rep. Christina Bohannan (left) and Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks. Photo illustration: Axios Visuals; Photos: Iowa Legislature, U.S. Congress
The results of Iowa's 1st District race remain up in the air, one week later.
Why it matters: Thanks to outstanding races like this one, there's still a slim chance that Democrats will claim the U.S. House majority, although sources like Decision Desk HQ have already projected the Republican Party will retain control.
State of play: U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) is ahead of two-time challenger Christina Bohannan (D) by almost 800 votes, per unofficial vote totals last updated Friday by the Iowa Secretary of State.
- Miller-Meeks declared victory late on election night and underscored her confidence during a press conference the next day.
- Bohannan issued a statement soon after the election saying the race was too close to call until every vote was counted. Her campaign did not respond to Axios' inquiry Tuesday.
Zoom in: Absentee and special voter precinct boards in every county had until Tuesday to review challenged ballots and write-in votes unreadable by machine tabulators.
- County boards of supervisors are to certify their election results by Wednesday.
Yes, but: Candidates have until Monday to request a recount.
- This year's deadline for the Iowa Secretary of State to certify its statewide election results is Dec. 2, the Register reports.
What they're saying: It's wise for Bohannan to hold off on conceding, and it wouldn't be a surprise if the district saw a recount, Drake University political science professor Dennis Goldford told KCCI this week.
The big picture: The results show the southeastern Iowa district's margins are getting tighter again after redistricting.
- In 2020, Miller-Meeks defeated Democrat Rita Hart by only six votes after a recount.
- The Republican incumbent defeated Bohannan in the newly drawn 1st District by 20,000 votes in 2022.
