Two years after she beat liberal Democrat Christina Bohannan by a fairly comfortable margin, Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks faces a rematch that Iowa Republicans see as a close race.
A poll released by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, conducted Sept. 30-Oct. 1 showed former state legislator Bohannan leading Miller-Meeks by 50% to 46%.
Republicans throw cold water on the Democratic poll, but many still it as a horse race.
"Congresswoman Miller-Meeks is is now facing a more campaign-experienced and better-funded version of the same opponent," former Polk County (Des Moines) GOP Chairm Kim Schmett told Newsmax.
Schmett noted that Miller-Meeks faced a hard-hitting primary challenge from the right that hurt her in the district.
With strong support from evangelicals, businessman and Thy Kingdom Come Ministries head David Pautsch drew an unexpected 43.9% of the primary vote against Miller-Meeks.
Coming under particular fire was Miller-Meeks' support of a bill that codified same-sex marriage and another measure that expanded legal protections for transgender people.
"Her ability to regain the support of most of the conservatives who voted against her in the primary may determine the final election outcome," said Schmett.
Now Miller-Meeks is a target of the far left, with Democrats pouring millions into the district to oust her.
The Cook Political Report recently moved its "lean Republican" rating for the race to "toss-up" status.
Democrats have been targeting Miller-Meeks' anti-abortion positions through the years.
At 69, physician and U.S. Army Reserve Lt. Col. Miller-Meeks is one of the most durable campaigners in the Hawkeye State.
After three losing bids for Congress, she finally made it in 2020 in one of the closest House races in U.S. history.
She won that race by edging her Democratic opponent by a microscopic six votes out of more than 390,000 cast.
Iowa's 1st Congressional District cuts through the heart of the state, including parts of Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, and Iowa City.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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