DES MOINES, Iowa — Democrat Rita Hart's campaign is pushing back against Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks' effort to dismiss Hart's claim of a disputed election in Iowa's 2nd Congressional District.
Hart contends 22 ballots were improperly excluded from the final tally, votes that would make her the winner.
Miller-Meeks filed a motion to dismiss Hart’s claim on the election, arguing Hart’s team failed to prove the 22 disputed ballots were not the only uncounted ballots.
Hart’s attorney, Mark Elias, claimed Miller-Meeks’ move to dismiss the challenge would disenfranchise Iowa voters.
“That is a frankly preposterous position and it finds no support in contest law at the federal level,” Elias said.
Miller-Meeks won the seat at the Nov. 3 election by six votes, was eventually certified the winner and provisionally seated by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
According to Elias, both Miller-Meeks and Hart will have to wait for the House to reconvene and finish seating committees.