JUST IN: Iowa Democrat Finally Drops Challenge After Losing Race for House Seat by 6 Votes

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The Iowa Democrat who has been trying to contest the results of the election she lost by just six votes has dropped her challenge.

Rita Hart ran against Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks in Iowa’s 2nd district in 2020. Miller-Meeks was certified the winner, yes, by six votes.

Hart has tried to contest the results, and made a challenge directly to the House Administration Committee. As NPR reported last week, Hart was arguing “there are 22 ballots that should have been counted in the election and that if they had, she would have won by nine votes.”

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy met with Miller-Meeks on Wednesday and said Democrats are being hypocrites for considering whether to unseat the Republican congresswoman.

On Wednesday afternoon, Hart said in a statement she is withdrawing her challenge:

Despite our best efforts to have every vote counted , the reality is that the toxic campaign of political disinformation to attack this constitutional review of the closest congressional contest in 100 years has effectively silenced the voices of Iowans. It is a stain on our democracy that the truth has not prevailed and my hope for the future is a return to decendy and civility.

I wish Mariannette Miller-Meeks all the best as she serves the people of this great state as Congresswoman.

Running to represent the people of #IA02 in the U.S. House of Representatives has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I could not have done it without all of you. Read my statement from today here: pic.twitter.com/ustS72pWsq

— Rita Hart (@RitaHartIA) March 31, 2021

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