A member of the Republican Party , she represents the state's 1st congressional district. Her district, numbered as the 2nd district in her first term, includes most of Iowa's southeastern quadrant, including Davenport , Bettendorf , Burlington , and Iowa City. Miller-Meeks previously served as the Iowa state senator from the 41st district from to Miller-Meeks ran three unsuccessful campaigns for the U.
House against Dave Loebsack. When Loebsack retired in , she ran again and defeated Rita Hart by a margin of six votes. She was reelected in by a margin of nearly seven percentage points, and won a third term in a very close race in She is generally considered to be a moderate Republican and has supported issues such as immigration and LGBT rights.
Miller-Meeks enlisted in the United States Army at the age of 18 and served for 24 years, including as a nurse, physician, and member of the United States Army Reserve. Miller-Meeks operated a private ophthalmology practice in Ottumwa, Iowa , until She also served as the first female president of the Iowa Medical Society. She was the first woman on the faculty of the University of Iowa 's department of ophthalmology and visual sciences, and worked as a representative from Iowa to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Miller-Meeks was the Republican nominee for Iowa's 2nd congressional district in , , and , losing to Dave Loebsack in all three races. Miller-Meeks ran to represent Iowa's 2nd congressional district again in , following Loebsack's retirement. During the COVID pandemic , Miller-Meeks said she "practices social distancing, wears a mask in public and sanitizes her hands" but does not support face mask mandates.
Miller-Meeks faced the Democratic nominee, former state senator Rita Hart , in the November general election. Miller-Meeks defeated Hart in the general election by six votes; the Iowa Board of Canvass certified the result. Hart contested the certified result through a petition with the Committee on House Administration under the Federal Contested Elections Act , which sets forth procedures for contesting state election results in the House under the Constitution.
