A Democrat congressional candidate in Iowa announced plans to file a petition with the House of Representatives under the Federal Contested Elections Act in order to have the results of her election overturned. Rita Hart was defeated by GOP candidate Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks by just 6 votes after the state recounted ballots two separate times, and declared Miller-Meeks as the winner.
All the votes were counted...twice. #IA02 https://t.co/vUe9xCVHV1
— Bob Salera (@BobSalera) December 3, 2020
The votes were counted. They were recounted, in the manner Rita Hart requested.
— Parker Hamilton Poling (@parkerpoling) December 3, 2020
Sometimes elections are just really really close.
Rita Hart has no case, and she knows it, so she's asking Nancy Pelosi to hand her a seat in Congress, disregarding the votes of 400,000 Iowans. https://t.co/5N2DKpJwaQ
Hart’s decision sidesteps the judicial system, and instead, she hopes to be handed an unearned victory by Speaker Pelosi, as Miller-Meeks’ campaign noted.
“Rita Hart has chosen to avoid Iowa’s judicial system because she knows that a fair, objective analysis of this election would show what we already know: Miller-Meeks won,” said Alan Ostergren, an attorney for the Miller-Meeks’ campaign. “Rita Hart has chosen a political process controlled by Nancy Pelosi over a legal process controlled by Iowa judges. All Iowans should be outraged by this decision.”
Rita Hart has chosen a political process controlled by Nancy Pelosi over a legal process controlled by Iowa judges.
— Dr. Miller-Meeks (@millermeeks) December 2, 2020
All Iowans should be outraged by this decision. #ia02 pic.twitter.com/pdz44kz180
The Associated Press has yet to call the race, but election officials in Iowa certified Dr. Miller-Meeks’ victory.