Democrat Members of Congress Reviewing Whether to Overturn Certified Iowa US House Election
The House Administration Committee is reportedly reviewing a challenge issued by Iowa Democrat Rita Hart against the newly elected Iow Congresswoman, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who won her race in November by just six votes.
The failed candidate, Rita Hart's team is claiming there are 22 ballots that should have been counted and if they had, she would have won by nine votes.
However, the race was certified by the Iowa State Board of Canvassers with bipartisan support, and that’s with a recount already concluded.
Rep. Miller-Meeks' counsel flat out denied the loser Hart's claims, and stated that Hart should have to prove that a state-certified election should be overturned, not the other way around.
Miller-Meeks’ attorney, Alan Ostergren, told reporters that they, "don't have to prove anything at this point, and that's something I think is important to emphasize: The congresswoman has a certificate of election, and that demonstrates that she is the winner of the race under Iowa law.”
NPR reported that, “there are growing political tensions around this particular challenge in the House, where relationships between Democrats and Republicans have deteriorated since the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, the day of the certification of the Electoral College vote results.”
Despite tensions between parties growing, Democrat Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren has stated that she intends to investigate the Iowa election in depth and she asserted that as of right now, “none of us can state with confidence who actually won this election.”
While it’s not out of the ordinary for failed or ‘sore loser’ candidates to petition the House to review their election, the House has almost never sided in favor of the losing campaign.
In the 110 campaigns that have requested the panel review their election results since 1933, all but three cases were rejected and only in one case did the House agree and the seat was left vacant as a result.
Republicans and several moderate Democrats alike have spoken out against the House’s investigation, and in support of keeping Miller-Meeks in her rightful House Seat.
There is no timeline for wrapping up the election review.
Do you believe the Democrat-led House of Representatives is out of control? Should Miller-Meeks remain in office? Comment your thoughts below!