--- title: "Bohannan vs. Miller-Meeks: 2026 Iowa’s 1st District race" url: "https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-house-ia-01" updated: "2026-10-01" source: "Candidates' campaign sites and Ballotpedia, quoted verbatim" publisher: "Pluribus" --- # 2026 Iowa’s 1st District race: Christina Bohannan (D) vs. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) Rating: Toss-up · Election: November 3, 2026 · Ballot checked: October 9, 2026 · Positions captured: October 1, 2026 The 2026 general election for Iowa's 1st Congressional District is a high-stakes rematch between Republican incumbent Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Democratic challenger Christina Bohannan, who previously faced each other in 2022 and 2024. The contest hinges on economic pressures like tariffs and inflation, healthcare costs, reproductive rights, agricultural policy, and education funding across southeastern Iowa. ## Candidates - **Christina Bohannan** (Democrat) · [Campaign site](https://bohannanforcongress.com/) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Christina_Bohannan) - **Mariannette Miller-Meeks** (Republican) · [Campaign site](https://drmillermeeks.com) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Mariannette_Miller-Meeks) ## Issues ### Cost of living Salience: high Bohannan focuses on repealing tariffs, banning corporate housing speculation, and curbing price gouging, whereas Miller-Meeks emphasizes federal spending restraint and tax cuts. **Christina Bohannan:** Lowers costs and reverses tariffs Bohannan makes tackling high prices her top priority, advocating for the elimination of federal tariffs and cracking down on corporate price gouging in groceries, energy, and housing. She proposes prohibiting private equity firms from buying family homes, building affordable housing, and strengthening clean energy to lower utility bills. - Exercise congressional power to end tariffs that increase household costs - Prohibit hedge funds and private investors from purchasing family homes and land - Crack down on corporate price gouging on groceries, everyday goods, and agricultural inputs - Expand clean energy projects to reduce local utility bills > “Tackling the high cost of living and lowering prices will be my top priority in Congress.” > — Christina Bohannan, via [Campaign site](https://bohannanforcongress.com/) **Mariannette Miller-Meeks:** Promotes tax cuts and spending limits Miller-Meeks emphasizes protecting working families from tax hikes and curbing wasteful federal spending. She supported federal reconciliation and debt limit legislation aimed at controlling government outlays while cutting taxes. - Voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) reconciliation bill - Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act to address federal debt and spending levels - Opposes tax increases on working families > “I'll take on the big fights: insurance companies raising prices, corrupt politicians trading stocks, fraudsters stealing your benefits, radicals pushing their agenda on our children, and the far left blocking tax cuts for working families.” > — Mariannette Miller-Meeks, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Mariannette_Miller-Meeks) ### Healthcare Salience: high Bohannan advocates creating a public Medicare buy-in option and capping drug prices, while Miller-Meeks focuses on physician-driven market reforms and insurance accountability. **Christina Bohannan:** Supports Medicare buy-in and prescription caps Bohannan supports creating an optional Medicare buy-in for all ages to increase market competition and lower insurance premiums. She also calls for capping insulin, epi-pens, and inhalers at $35 per month, expanding Medicare to cover dental, vision, and hearing, and reversing Medicaid spending cuts. - Allow Iowans to buy into Medicare at any age while preserving private insurance options - Cap monthly costs for insulin, epi-pens, and inhalers at $35 for all Americans - Expand Medicare coverage to include vision, dental, hearing, and home health care - Reverse Medicaid cuts to protect rural clinics and hospitals > “I believe that allowing Iowans the option to buy into Medicare at any age – which will increase competition, expand choice, and bring down costs – is the best way to do it.” > — Christina Bohannan, via [Campaign site](https://bohannanforcongress.com/) **Mariannette Miller-Meeks:** Favors market reforms and physician oversight Miller-Meeks draws on her background as an ophthalmologist to push for lower healthcare costs by taking on big insurance companies and expanding access. She serves as Chair of the Veterans' Affairs Health Subcommittee and sits on the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. - Chairs the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health - Serves on the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health - Promotes physician-led solutions to increase healthcare access and lower costs > “The big insurance companies didn't think a small-town doctor would take them on to lower your costs.” > — Mariannette Miller-Meeks, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Mariannette_Miller-Meeks) ### Abortion Salience: high Bohannan promises to codify Roe v. Wade in federal law, whereas Miller-Meeks maintains a pro-life platform. **Christina Bohannan:** Codify Roe v. Wade federal protections Bohannan supports restoring nationwide reproductive rights by passing Roe v. Wade into federal law. She opposes strict state abortion bans and pledges to safeguard access to fertility treatments like IVF. - Pass federal legislation to codify Roe v. Wade - Protect nationwide access to IVF and reproductive healthcare - Oppose federal and state restrictions on abortion access > “When I’m in Congress, I will defend the freedoms of all Iowans, no matter what. And I will fight every day to put Roe v. Wade back into federal law where it belongs and restore reproductive freedom for all Iowans.” > — Christina Bohannan, via [Campaign site](https://bohannanforcongress.com/) **Mariannette Miller-Meeks:** Pro-life stance Miller-Meeks holds a pro-life position, featuring her stance prominently in campaign materials and legislative priorities. - Maintains a pro-life record and campaign platform - Promoted pro-life campaign messaging in federal elections ### Agriculture Salience: medium Bohannan focuses on anti-trust enforcement against Big Ag monopolies and clean water incentives, while Miller-Meeks highlights blocking foreign acquisition of Iowa farmland. **Christina Bohannan:** Protects family farms and enforces anti-trust Bohannan advocates for Iowa family farms by challenging Big Ag market monopolies on seeds, fertilizer, and processing. She promises to pass a Farm Bill with fair crop insurance and provide financial incentives for conservation practices like cover crops and buffer zones. - Crack down on price gouging in seed, fertilizer, and livestock processing - Pass a Farm Bill providing fair crop insurance against severe weather - Provide resources for farmers to plant cover crops and establish buffer zones to reduce runoff - Reverse trade wars and tariffs affecting Iowa crop exports > “Supporting our family farms and protecting our environment are not mutually exclusive – when done right, they can work together and reinforce each other.” > — Christina Bohannan, via [Campaign site](https://bohannanforcongress.com/) **Mariannette Miller-Meeks:** Blocks foreign farmland sales and supports ag funding Miller-Meeks highlights her work to prevent foreign entities from acquiring domestic agricultural assets, specifically opposing Chinese purchases of Iowa farmland. She also voted for full-year continuing appropriations for agricultural programs. - Opposes Chinese purchases of Iowa farmland - Voted for agricultural federal funding extensions in H.R. 5371 > “China didn't think anyone would stop them from buying Iowa farmland.” > — Mariannette Miller-Meeks, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Mariannette_Miller-Meeks) ### Government ethics Salience: medium Bohannan pushes for stock trading bans, campaign finance limits, and open primaries, whereas Miller-Meeks emphasizes requiring citizenship documentation for voter registration. **Christina Bohannan:** Supports stock trading bans and reform Bohannan promotes comprehensive government ethics reform, proposing stock trading bans for members of Congress and executive officials, term limits, and an independent Congressional Ethics Agency. She also advocates for overturning Citizens United and passing the Let America Vote Act to open primary elections to independents. - Ban stock trading by members of Congress, executive officials, Supreme Court justices, and staff - Support a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United - Establish an independent Congressional Ethics Agency - Pass the Let America Vote Act to allow independent voters in primary elections > “I am running for Congress to restore that faith – the faith that our government can once again work for the American people.” > — Christina Bohannan, via [Campaign site](https://bohannanforcongress.com/) **Mariannette Miller-Meeks:** Supports proof of citizenship voting laws and oversight Miller-Meeks emphasizes government accountability and strict voter integrity rules. She voted for the SAVE Act to mandate documentary proof of citizenship for federal election registration and supported legislative transparency measures. - Voted for the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) requiring proof of citizenship to register for federal elections - Voted for the Epstein Files Transparency Act (H.R. 4405) - Campaigns on curbing corrupt stock trading by politicians > “I'll take on the big fights: insurance companies raising prices, corrupt politicians trading stocks, fraudsters stealing your benefits, radicals pushing their agenda on our children, and the far left blocking tax cuts for working families.” > — Mariannette Miller-Meeks, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Mariannette_Miller-Meeks) ### Education Salience: medium Bohannan opposes private school voucher programs to protect public school funding, whereas Miller-Meeks supports voucher initiatives and single-sex sports restrictions. **Christina Bohannan:** Opposes vouchers and funds public schools Bohannan opposes private school voucher programs, arguing they drain taxpayer funds from public education. She advocates for federal investments in public pre-K through higher education, Career and Technical Education (CTE), and expanding school meal programs. - Oppose state and national private school voucher plans - Increase federal funding for public K-12 schools, community colleges, and CTE programs - Guarantee access to school lunches and summer food programs for children > “Under the Iowa voucher plan that Governor Reynolds and Rep. Miller-Meeks support, Iowa taxpayers will give a billion dollars to private schools – draining badly needed resources from our public schools and essentially defunding them.” > — Christina Bohannan, via [Campaign site](https://bohannanforcongress.com/) **Mariannette Miller-Meeks:** Supports school choice and single-sex sports Miller-Meeks supports school choice initiatives, including voucher programs. She also voted for federal legislation restricting female athletic programs to biological females. - Voted for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 (H.R. 28) - Supports school voucher initiatives and parental choice in education > “The left didn't think a mom and grandmother would keep boys out of girls' sports.” > — Mariannette Miller-Meeks, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Mariannette_Miller-Meeks) ### Energy & environment Salience: medium Bohannan emphasizes renewable energy growth and strict water pollutant regulations, while Miller-Meeks supports expanding traditional fossil fuel extraction and expediting energy permitting. **Christina Bohannan:** Supports clean energy and clean water action Bohannan, drawing on her experience as an environmental engineer, advocates for expanding renewable energy to reduce utility bills and address climate change. She also calls for strict federal monitoring and reduction of PFAS chemicals and nitrate runoff in Iowa waterways. - Invest in Iowa's clean energy economy to create green jobs and lower energy costs - Reduce PFAS forever chemicals and nitrate contamination in Iowa drinking water - Hold major oil companies accountable for price gouging > “As an environmental engineer and a mother, I know that we also need to improve Iowa’s water quality, protect our natural resources, and safeguard our public health.” > — Christina Bohannan, via [Campaign site](https://bohannanforcongress.com/) **Mariannette Miller-Meeks:** Promotes traditional energy production and deregulation Miller-Meeks advocates for increasing domestic production of oil, natural gas, and minerals by expediting pipeline permits and reducing regulatory restrictions. She serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. - Voted for the Lower Energy Costs Act (H.R. 1) to boost fossil fuel production and reduce permitting hurdles - Assigned to the Energy and Commerce Subcommittees on Energy and Environment ### Social Security & seniors Salience: medium Bohannan focuses on expanding Medicare coverage and opposing retirement age increases, whereas Miller-Meeks emphasizes program oversight and fraud reduction. **Christina Bohannan:** Protects Social Security and Medicare benefits Bohannan pledges to safeguard Social Security and Medicare by opposing benefit cuts, privatization, or retirement age increases. She supports expanding Medicare to cover vision, dental, hearing, and caregiver costs. - Protect Social Security and Medicare trust funds from privatization or benefit reductions - Oppose increases to the Social Security retirement age - Expand Medicare to cover vision, dental, hearing, and home care costs > “Our seniors have paid into Social Security and Medicare over a lifetime of hard work. They’ve earned it. They depend on it. And we’ve got to protect it.” > — Christina Bohannan, via [Campaign site](https://bohannanforcongress.com/) **Mariannette Miller-Meeks:** Prevents fraud and protects benefit programs Miller-Meeks stresses the importance of protecting safety-net benefits by stopping fraudulent activity and ensuring system integrity for current beneficiaries. - Promotes fraud prevention measures in federal benefit programs > “I'll take on the big fights: insurance companies raising prices, corrupt politicians trading stocks, fraudsters stealing your benefits, radicals pushing their agenda on our children, and the far left blocking tax cuts for working families.” > — Mariannette Miller-Meeks, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Mariannette_Miller-Meeks) ### Immigration Salience: medium **Christina Bohannan:** No documented position in our sources **Mariannette Miller-Meeks:** Supports strict border enforcement and deportation rules Miller-Meeks supports strict border security measures and mandatory detention for unauthorized immigrants committing criminal offenses. She voted for the Laken Riley Act and legislation making drunk driving grounds for deportation. - Voted for the Laken Riley Act (S. 5) mandating DHS detention of unauthorized immigrants arrested for theft or burglary - Voted for H.R. 875 making driving under the influence grounds for deportation or inadmissibility ## Polls and markets _Updated Oct 31._ - [Polymarket](https://polymarket.com/event/ia-01-house-election-winner) — IA-01 House Election Winner: Democrats 92.5%, Republicans 7.0% - [Kalshi](https://kalshi.com/events/HOUSEIA1-26) — IA-01 House winner?: Christina Bohannan 91.4%, Mariannette Miller-Meeks 8.8%, Michael Bridgford 3.0% [View this race on 2026election.com](https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-house-ia-01)