Mariannette Miller-Meeks

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Mariannette Miller-Meeks
File:Mariannette Miller-Meeks 117th U.S Congress.jpg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Iowa's 2nd district
Assumed office
January 3, 2021
Preceded by Dave Loebsack
Member of the Iowa Senate
from the 41st district
In office
January 14, 2019 – January 2, 2021
Preceded by Mark Chelgren
Succeeded by Adrian Dickey
Director of the Iowa Department of Public Health
In office
January 15, 2011 – January 9, 2014
Governor Terry Branstad
Preceded by Tom Newton
Succeeded by Gerd W. Clabaugh
Personal details
Born Mariannette Jane Miller
(1955-09-06) September 6, 1955 (age 68)
Herlong, California, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Curt Meeks (m. 1983)
Children 2
Education Texas Christian University (BSN)
University of Southern California (MS)
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (MD)
Signature Mariannette Miller-Meeks's signature
Website House website
Campaign website
Military service
Allegiance  United States
Service/branch  United States Army
Rank Lieutenant Colonel

Mariannette Jane Miller-Meeks (born September 6, 1955) is an American physician and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Iowa's 2nd congressional district. The district includes most of Iowa's southeastern quadrant, including Davenport, Bettendorf, Burlington, Iowa City, and Miller-Meeks's hometown of Ottumwa. She is a member of the Republican Party.

Miller-Meeks ran three unsuccessful campaigns for the U.S. House against Dave Loebsack. When Loebsack retired in 2020, she ran again and defeated Rita Hart by a margin of six votes. She also served as Iowa state senator for the 41st district from 2019 to 2021.

Early life

Miller-Meeks was born in Herlong, California in 1955.[1] She enlisted in the United States Army at the age of 18 and served for 24 years, including as a nurse, physician, and member of the United States Army Reserve. She retired at the rank of lieutenant colonel.

A first-generation college student, Miller-Meeks earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Texas Christian University, a Master of Science in education from University of Southern California, and a Doctor of Medicine from University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.[2]

Career

Miller-Meeks operated a private ophthalmology practice in Ottumwa, Iowa, until 2008. She also served as the first female president of the Iowa Medical Society. She was the first woman on the faculty of the University of Iowa's department of ophthalmology and visual sciences, and worked as a representative from Iowa to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.[2] In 2010, Governor Terry Branstad appointed Miller-Meeks director of the Iowa Department of Public Health; she resigned in 2014 to run for Congress.[3][4]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2008–2014

Miller-Meeks was the Republican nominee for Iowa's 2nd congressional district in 2008, 2010 and 2014, losing to Dave Loebsack in all three races. When Mark Chelgren announced he was not running for reelection, she ran for Iowa Senate, District 41 in 2018, defeating Democratic nominee Mary Stewart.[5] Her term in the Iowa Senate began January 14, 2019.

In her 2014 campaign, Miller-Meeks opposed the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).[1] She also stated her opposition to legalized abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or harm to the mother.[1] Of same-sex marriage, she said in 2014 that she favors "traditional marriage."[1] She criticized EPA regulation of waterways and coal plants, saying it creates uncertainty for farmers.[1]

2020

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See also: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa § District 2

Miller-Meeks ran to represent Iowa's 2nd congressional district again in 2020, following Loebsack's retirement.[6] She won the June 2 Republican primary election, defeating former Illinois Congressman Bobby Schilling.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she said she "practices social distancing, wears a mask in public and sanitizes her hands" but does not support face mask mandates.[7]

She faced the Democratic nominee, former State Senator Rita Hart, in the November general election.[8] After Loebsack announced his retirement, journalists and election forecasters labeled the 2nd congressional district a swing district. Miller-Meeks defeated Hart in the general election by six votes, making this the closest election in 2020 and flipping Iowa's 2nd Congressional District from Democratic to Republican control in one of the closest races in 100 years; the state certified the victory.[9][10] Hart contested the certified result through a petition with the Committee on House Administration under the 1969 Federal Contested Elections Act, which sets forth procedures for contesting state election results in the House under the Constitution.[11] Hart did not contest the election in Iowa's courts.[11][12][13] In her petition, Hart contended, without evidence, that 22 legally cast votes were not counted. Had they been counted, per her petition, she would have won the race by nine votes.[14][15]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi provisionally seated Miller-Meeks on January 3, 2021, pending adjudication of Hart's petition.[14][16] The Committee on House Administration reviewed Hart's petition, and Pelosi claimed the House had the authority to expel Miller-Meeks,[17][18] but on March 31, Hart withdrew her challenge.[19]

Miller-Meeks and Michelle Fischbach of Minnesota are the only Republican members of Congress to flip Democratic House districts that were not held by Republicans before 2018.

Tenure

Miller-Meeks, along with all other Senate and House Republicans, voted against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.[20]

On May 19, 2021, Miller-Meeks was one of 35 Republicans who joined all Democrats in voting to approve legislation to establish the January 6, 2021 commission meant to investigate the storming of the U.S. Capitol.[21]

Immigration

On July 21, 2021, Miller-Meeks and Deborah Ross co-sponsored the America's CHILDREN Act.[22] The bill would prevent the children of long-term visa holders who came to the U.S. legally with their parents from having their visas expire the day they turn 21. If they have maintained legal status in the U.S. for 10 years and graduated from an institution of higher education, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency.[22]


LGBT rights

In 2021, Miller Meeks was one of 29 Republicans to vote to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.[23] This bill expanded legal protections for transgender people, and contained provisions allowing transgender women to use women's shelters and serve time in prisons matching their gender identity.[24]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

  • Pandemic Preparedness Caucus (co-chair)[25]
  • Public Schools Caucus (co-chair)[25]
  • Aluminum Caucus[25]
  • Army Caucus[25]
  • Biofuels Caucus[25]
  • Bus Caucus[25]
  • Conservative Climate Caucus[25]
  • For Country Caucus[25]
  • General Aviation Caucus[25]
  • GOP Doctors Caucus[25]
  • GOP Healthy Futures Task Force[25]
  • Grid Innovation Caucus[25]
  • Mental Health Caucus[25]
  • Motorcycle Caucus[25]
  • Pro-Life Caucus[25]
  • Rural Broadband Caucus[25]
  • Small Business Caucus[25]
  • Sportsmen's Caucus[25]
  • Steel Caucus[25]
  • Suburban Caucus[25]
  • Taiwan Caucus[25]
  • Telehealth Caucus[25]
  • Western Caucus[25]
  • Women, Peace, and Security Caucus[25]

Personal life

Miller-Meeks is a resident of Ottumwa, Iowa. She is married to Curt Meeks, the Compliance Officer at Otumwa Regional Health Center, and has two children.[26][27] She is Roman Catholic.[1] Miller-Meeks organized a physician recruitment and retention organization to help bring physicians to southeast Iowa and has served as a court-appointed special advocate volunteer for children.[2]

Electoral history

2008

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Main article: 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa
2008 Iowa's 2nd congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dave Loebsack' (incumbent)' 175,218 57.19
Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks 118,778 38.77
Green Wendy Barth 6,664 2.18
Independent Brian White 5,437 1.78
No party Others 261 0.09%
Total votes 306,358 100.00
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold

2010

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Main article: 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa
2010 Iowa's 2nd congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic 'Dave Loebsack (incumbent) ' 115,839 50.99
Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks 104,319 45.92
Libertarian Gary Joseph Sicard 4,356 1.92
Constitution Jon Tack 2,463 1.08
No party Others 198 0.09%
Total votes 227,175 100.00
Voter turnout  %
Democratic hold

2014

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Main article: 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa
2014 Iowa's 2nd congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic 'Dave Loebsack (incumbent)' 143,431 52.48
Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks 129,455 47.36
Write-ins 443 0.16
Total votes 273,329 100
Democratic hold

2018

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Main article: 2018 Iowa Senate election
2018 Iowa's 41st senate district primary elections[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks 1,706 85.39
Republican Daniel Cesar 279 13.96
Write-ins 13 0.65
Total votes 2,134 100
2018 Iowa's 41st senate district general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks 11,451 51.77
Democratic Mary Stewart 10,632 48.07
Write-ins 36 0.16
Total votes 22,119 100
Republican hold

2020

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Main article: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa
Iowa's 2nd congressional district, 2020
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks 196,964 49.912
Democratic Rita Hart 196,958 49.910
Write-ins 703 0.178
Total votes 394,625 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

See also

References

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  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Bridget Bowman & Herb Jackson, Iowa Democrat Rita Hart to appeal 2nd District results to House, Roll Call (December 2, 2020).
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  25. ↑ 25.00 25.01 25.02 25.03 25.04 25.05 25.06 25.07 25.08 25.09 25.10 25.11 25.12 25.13 25.14 25.15 25.16 25.17 25.18 25.19 25.20 25.21 25.22 25.23 25.24 25.25 25.26 25.27 25.28 25.29 25.30 25.31 25.32 25.33 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Iowa Senate
Preceded by Member of the Iowa Senate
from the 41st district
2019–2021		 Succeeded by
Adrian Dickey
United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Iowa's 2nd congressional district
2021–present		 Incumbent
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
405th		 Succeeded by
Barry Moore

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117th
Senate:
House:

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