Iowa Democrat Rita Hart to appeal 2nd District results to House

It may fall on Congress to determine who has won the closest House race in 36 years. The race in Iowa’s 2nd District was decided by just six votes after a recount, with Republican state Sen. Mariannette Miller-Meeks appearing to defeat former Democratic state Sen. Rita Hart in the open-seat race. State election officials certified the results Monday, and on Wednesday, Hart announced she plans to appeal to the House to consider ballots not included in the recount. The overturning of state-certified results by the House is rare and last happened after the 1984 elections. Hart could have challenged the results in court. But election challenges in Iowa must be completed by Dec. 8, and Hart’s campaign did not believe that left enough time to resolve the issue. Miller-Meeks’ campaign lawyer, Alan Ostergren, said in a statement that 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.” “Rita Hart has chosen a political process controlled by [Speaker] Nancy Pelosi over a legal process controlled by Iowa judges,” Ostergren said. “All Iowans should be outraged by this decision.” Hart is filing a petition with the House Administration Committee under a 1969 law that lays out procedures for contesting state election results. She plans to ask that ballots that were legally cast but not included in the initial canvass be considered in the recount, which is prohibited under Iowa law...MORE