Iowa officials have certified a Republican candidate as the winner by six votes for an open seat in the U.S. House, in what is shaping up to be the closest congressional election in decades.
Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks finished ahead of Democrat Rita Hart in Iowa's 2nd Congressional District after a recount saw her 47-vote lead steadily dwindle to single digits.The state Board of Canvass voted Monday afternoon to certify Miller-Meeks as the winner over Hart by a final count of 196,964 to 196,958.
In a press release Monday afternoon, Miller-Meeks said, "the final results show we are victorious. While the race is extraordinarily close, I am proud to have won this election."In his email, Hart's campaign manager said, "additional legal ballots may have yet to be counted. Over the next few days, we will outline our next steps in this process to ensure that all Iowans’ voices are heard.”
