/https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5fc577f6f23ce9f7a474a038/0x0.jpg?cropX1=0&cropX2=4928&cropY1=8&cropY2=2781&w=1200&resize=1200,675&ssl=1 "Iowa Republican Appears To Win House Race By 6 Votes")
Topline
File this one under “every vote counts”: Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks was certified as the winner of Iowa’s 2nd congressional district by just six votes on Monday, likely shifting yet another U.S. House seat from the Democrats to the Republicans.
Mariannette Miller-Meeks, candidate for Iowa’s 2nd congressional district, is interviewed by CQ Roll … [+]
CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Key Facts
Miller-Meeks’ final tally stands at 196,964 votes, compared to Democratic nominee Rita Hart’s 196,958, according to Iowa’s Canvassing Board (the Associated Press has not officially projected a winner in the race).
Hart has not conceded yet, and her campaign told the AP it will explore its legal options, claiming “additional legal ballots may have yet to be counted” (her campaign did not respond to Forbes when asked for more details).
Crucial Quote
“While the race is extraordinarily close, I am proud to have won this contest and look forward to being certified as the winner by the state’s Executive Council,” Miller-Meeks tweeted on Saturday, after the final county in the district finished its recount.
What To Watch For
Hart has two days to take legal action, the Des Moines Register reported. If she decides to pursue a legal fight, a panel of five judges will convene and issue a final ruling on the race by Dec. 8. Hart’s campaign has not specified the kind of legal action it might take.
Key Background
Rep. Dave Loebsack (D) has represented Iowa’s 2nd district since 2007, but he announced his retirement last year, sparking efforts by Republicans to flip the moderate seat. If Miller-Meeks holds onto her win following legal challenges, the district will be the 13th seat to change hands from Democrats to Republicans this year, reversing many of the Democrats’ gains from 2018 and narrowing their House majority to single digits.
Surprising Fact
Miller-Meeks’ six-vote win is the narrowest margin of victory for a U.S. House race since 1984, and the slimmest win in Iowa in over a century, the Associated Press reported.
Further Reading
Iowa board certifies 6-vote Republican win in US House race (Associated Press)
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