NewsPolitical

Actions

Iowa Democrat drops bid for House seat she lost by 6 votes

Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Rita Hart
Posted
and last updated

WASHINGTON (AP) — A defeated Democrat has abruptly dropped her bid to overturn her six-vote loss for a House seat from Iowa, abandoning what loomed as a long legal and political battle in the face of shaky support from her own party.

In a three-paragraph statement Wednesday, Rita Hart blamed a “toxic campaign of political disinformation” that she said had “effectively silenced the voices of Iowans.”

But she also congratulated Rep. Marianette Miller-Meeks, the Republican who won the November election and was seated when the new Congress took office in January, even as Hart’s appeal proceeded. Miller-Meeks’ victory was certified by a bipartisan board of Iowa officials after a recount.

Download our apps today for all of our latest coverage.

Get the latest news and weather delivered straight to your inbox.