Miller-Meeks says she won’t be intimidated by critics of her vote for House speaker

IOWA CITY — Iowa’s first district congresswoman is firing back at those who’ve criticized two of her votes for House Speaker.

Republican Congresswoman Marianette Miller-Meeks supported Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan on the first round of voting on the House floor last week, but not during the other two rounds and she has reported receiving death threats.  “I am never going to quit fighting for Iowa and I am never going to quit fighting for this country and if you think you can intimidate me…suck it up, buttercup,” Miller-Meeks said, to applause.

Miller-Meeks hosted a campaign fundraiser in Coralville on Friday night. Miller-Meeks did not mention Jordan by name, but she referred to the pressure campaign Jordan allies waged against her.  “I am not a Democrat. I am a proud Republican. If anybody thinks that I’m going to give up and I’m going to lay back…they’ve got another thing coming,” Miller-Meeks said.

Miller-Meeks told reporters she’s confident House Republicans will come together and elect a speaker.  “Most of us are there to govern, to legislate, to pass bills. We’ve got important appropriations bills to pass,” Miller-Meek says. “The important thing about those bills is not the level of spending, it’s also the policy priorities.”

Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart — who lost to Miller-Meeks in 2018 by six votes — says Miller-Meeks should have stayed in D-C to elect a speaker rather than host a party in Iowa Friday night. Seven G-O-P presidential candidates attended and spoke at the Miller-Meeks fundraiser.