Republican Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Democrat Christina Bohannan are set to renew their rivalry in Iowa's 1st Congressional District this November, following decisive primary victories on Tuesday. Decision Desk HQ projects both candidates will advance, setting the stage for what is expected to be another razor-thin contest.
Miller-Meeks, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and former director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, defeated primary challenger David Pautsch. Bohannan, a University of Iowa law professor and former state representative, easily turned back Travis Terrell in the Democratic primary.
The general election will mark the third straight time these two have squared off. In 2020, Miller-Meeks won her first House race by just six votes against Democrat Rita Hart. In 2022, she beat Bohannan by less than 7 percentage points. Their most recent matchup in 2024 was even tighter: Miller-Meeks prevailed by fewer than 1,000 votes, a margin of less than two-tenths of a percentage point, making it one of just three House races decided by less than a single point nationwide.
President Donald Trump carried the district by 8.5 points in 2024, according to The Downballot, but the congressional race remains highly competitive. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates it a “toss-up,” one of only 18 House seats with that designation.
Miller-Meeks brings a long military and public health background to the race. She served 26 years in the U.S. Army, including 17 in the Army Reserve, and retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2000. She later led the Iowa Department of Public Health under Republican Governor Terry Branstad and served in the state Senate before heading to Washington.
Bohannan emphasizes her bipartisan work in the Iowa House and pitches herself as an independent voice. “In 2024, thousands of Iowans who voted for President Trump also voted for me,” she wrote on her campaign website. “Iowans of all parties trust me because of our shared love of country, our mutual disillusionment with the political establishment, and our common belief that good government is about ensuring freedom and opportunity for all, not just the privileged few.”
Both candidates are also neck-and-neck in fundraising. According to Federal Election Commission data through May 13, Miller-Meeks has raised more than $4.5 million this cycle, while Bohannan has pulled in over $4.8 million.
This rematch is drawing national attention as both parties vie for control of the House. The outcome could hinge on turnout in the district's key population centers, including Davenport, Iowa City, Burlington, and Indianola.
