Iowa Republican congressional candidate declares victory after a recount puts her ahead by SIX votes out of almost 400,000 cast
A Republican candidate is hanging onto a single-digit lead in Iowa's 2nd Congressional District after a recount in a race that will help determine the size of Democrats' majority in the House of Representatives.
Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks had just six more votes than Democrat Rita Hart after the recount wrapped up Saturday in Clinton County, which was the last of the district's 24 counties to reports its results, the Iowa City Press-Citizen reports.
Clinton County also is where Hart lives on a Wheatland farm and served as an educator and state senator.
A state canvassing board is expected to meet Monday, the legal deadline, to certify the results of the race in which more than 394,400 votes were cast.
Democrat Hart has not said whether she will file a legal challenge in the race.
Miller-Meeks acknowledged in a statement that the race was 'extraordinarily close,' but said she was proud of the outcome and looked forward to being certified as the winner.
A recount shows that Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks (pictured) led by six votes over her Democratic opponent in an Iowa Congressional race that tallied over 394,400 votes, making it the tightest contest out of all the 435 House races
Democrat Rita Hart (pictured) on November 12 requested a recount of the 24 counties that compose the district after successive revelations of clerical errors ping-ponged the lead between Hart and the Republican Miller-Meeks
'It is the honor of a lifetime to be elected to serve the people of eastern and southern Iowa,' Miller-Meeks said. 'Iowans are tenacious, optimistic and hard-working, and I will take those attributes to Washington, D.C., on their behalf.'
The candidates have been vying to replace Democrat Rep. Dave Loebsack, who is retiring after seven terms.
Miller-Meeks is an ophthalmologist who retired as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. She served as director of the Iowa Public Health Department from 2011 to 2014.
A current state senator, Miller-Meeks tried unsuccessfully to unseat Loebsack in 2008, 2010, and 2014.
Iowa's second congressional district stretches from the eastern suburbs of Des Moines to Davenport, on the border with Illinois, and includes Iowa City.
Iowa's second Congressional district comprises roughly the southeast quadrant of the state, including suburbs of Des Moines and the cities of Davenport and Iowa City
Hart requested the districtwide recount on November 12 after counties' initial certifications showed her trailing by 47 votes.
That followed an election in which reporting errors flipped the lead back and forth between the candidates.
In a statement, Hart's campaign manager, Zach Meunier, did not say whether the campaign will file a legal challenge in the race, the closest House election in the nation. A challenge would set in motion a proceeding run by a judicial panel.
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'We will closely review what the county and state boards do on Monday with an eye toward making sure all Iowa voices are fully and fairly heard,' he said.
In the statement Meunier charged the Miller-Meeks campaign with seeking to keep 'legitimate votes' from being counted.
The Miller-Meeks camp had complained about the process of the recount, claiming that a high-speed machine recount in Scott County and other counties was illegal, the Iowa City Press-Citizen reported.
Miller-Meeks and Hart were vying for the seat of Democrat Rep. Dave Loebsack, who is retiring after 14 years in the House. Miller-Meeks unsuccessfully tried three times to unseat him
Saturday marks the third time that Miller-Meeks has declared victory in the extremely tight race.
The first time was November 4, the day after Election Day, as counting continued and major outlets deemed the race too close to call.
An announcement of clerical errors in Jasper County apparently put Hart ahead on November 6. Then, on November 10, more clerical errors were announced - this time in Lucas County.
That second announcement put Miller-Meeks in the lead by a few dozen votes, and she declared victory a second time before agreeing to the recount.
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