Iowa City Democrat and former state representative Christina Bohannan raised nearly $1.9 million in the third quarter of 2024, according to her congressional campaign.
She is running to unseat Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks in Southeast Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, in a rematch from 2022.
Miller-Meeks’ campaign did not immediately respond Wednesday with its third-quarter fundraising numbers.
Neither Bohannan’s or Miller-Meeks’ campaigns had yet to file reports with the Federal Election Commission as of Wednesday afternoon, according to a search for filings on the FEC’s website. Campaigns have until Oct. 15 to report contributions, expenditures and financial activities from July 1 to Sept. 30 with the FEC.
Miller-Meeks’ campaign raised roughly $847,000 between April 1 through June 30, and had nearly $2.3 million cash on hand, according to its latest FEC filing.
Bohannan has outraised Miller-Meeks for four quarters in a row and also leads in cash on hand in the tight race that could help determine which party controls the U.S. House next year.
Political handicapper Inside Elections, a non-partisan newsletter covering House, Senate and gubernatorial campaigns, last week changed its forecast in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District race from “Tilt Republican” to “Toss-up.” Other political handicappers rate the race as “lean Republican.”
Miller-Meeks is running for re-election to a third term to represent the 20-county district that includes Iowa City, Davenport and rural Southeast Iowa.
Bohannan lost by nearly 7 percentage points, or more than 20,000 votes, to Miller-Meeks in 2022, who won re-election to a second term after winning her first election by the slimmest of margins — six votes over Democrat Rita Hart in 2020.
Former president and 2024 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump won the district in the 2020 presidential race.
Democrat challenging Nunn announces raising $1.7M
Des Moines Democrat Lanon Baccam, who is running to challenge Iowa U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, a Republican from Bondurant, announced raising more than $1.7 million for the quarter.
Nunn’s campaign did not immediately respond Wednesday with its third quarter fundraising numbers.
Neither campaign had yet filed reports as of Wednesday afternoon, according to a search for filings on the Federal Election Commissions website.
Baccam, a U.S. Army veteran and former U.S. Department of Agriculture official, has outraised Nunn three quarters in a row. His campaign raised $1.3 million last quarter, compared with Nunn campaign’s $1 million in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, which includes the Des Moines metro area. Nunn, though, had a cash-on-hand advantage of about $845,000.
Mike Huckabee endorses Miller-Meeks’ re-election
Ahead of the Quad Cities Prayer Breakfast last week, former Arkansas governor and 2008 Iowa GOP presidential caucus winner Mike Huckabee endorsed U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks for re-election.
Huckabee, who was the keynote speaker, previously endorsed Miller-Meeks’ primary opponent — prayer breakfast organizer David Pautsch, according to the opponent.
Pautsch in March announced campaign endorsements from Huckabee, a two-time candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, and Mike Lindell, the chief executive officer of MyPillow who was among the loudest voices spreading false claims denying the results of the 2020 presidential election.
“David Pautsch will be a strong and uncompromised voice in Congress to help save America from the oppression that has destroyed our constitutional liberties, national security, economy, schools, law and order, small businesses and families,” Huckabee said in a statement released by Pautsch’s campaign.
A passionate right-flank campaign and low turnout helped propel Pautsch, an underfunded candidate with little name recognition outside of the Quad Cities, to within a surprisingly close 12 points of the GOP incumbent.
Huckabee, in a statement released by Miller-Meeks’ campaign, called her “a proven leader who demonstrates the conservative values we need in Congress.“
“She has the determination to protect our freedoms, fight for hardworking Americans, and expand our majority in the House,” according to the statement. “As a veteran, doctor, and leader, she has the experience and dedication to make a real difference for southeast Iowa.”
Miller-Meeks recently released her ad “Border” on her votes to build a border wall, expedite beefing up border control and deport violent criminals.
Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau
