Who's running in Iowa's 1st congressional district
3 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
3 candidates · ballot order · Mariannette Miller-Meeks currently holds this seat
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Fighting 'big insurance companies that are ripping us off' and lowering health care prices.
The 2025 reconciliation law, including its tax cuts and $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program; she defends its Medicaid changes as targeting waste, fraud and abuse.
Opposing extension of enhanced ACA subsidies, which she says 'go straight to profitable insurance companies, are riddled with fraud' and have no income caps.
Using the National Guard to secure the border.
Banning members of Congress from owning individual stocks.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
US Representative for Iowa's 1st District (2nd District before 2023) since January 2021; won by 6 votes in 2020, about 7 points in 2022 and about 800 votes in 2024.
Director, Iowa Department of Public Health, 2011–2014; Iowa Senate before Congress; retired Army lieutenant colonel.
Voted for the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act and repeatedly against extending enhanced ACA subsidies.
Secured an $825,000 earmark to help reopen a hospital in Keokuk, per Bleeding Heartland.
Raised more than $4.5 million this cycle as of May 13, per The Hill.
Endorsed by President Trump, Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Whip Tom Emmer and Americans for Prosperity.
Arguments in favor
'For 40 years I have had one job: it's health care. I enlisted in the Army, became a nurse, and then a doctor … Now, I fight for Iowans in Congress.'
— Mariannette Miller-Meeks campaign ad 'The Doctor in the House'
President Trump, Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Whip Tom Emmer and Americans for Prosperity have endorsed Miller-Meeks for re-election.
— Listed endorsements, Wikipedia's race page
Arguments against
'Miller-Meeks broke her promise to Iowa obstetricians and gynecologists with her vote for devastating cuts to Medicaid. This undermines OB-GYN care at a time when Iowa hospitals are ending their birthing services.'
— Ob-GynPAC, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' political arm, which endorsed her in 2022 and 2024 but backs Bohannan in 2026
The Medicaid cuts Miller-Meeks voted for 'affect access and affordability of health care for everyone' and could be 'the final straw' that forces smaller Iowa hospitals to close or cut services.
— Christina Bohannan, Democratic opponent (Bleeding Heartland)
Miller-Meeks' record on pharmaceutical companies and health insurance coverage has hurt Iowans.
— 314 Action, Democratic-aligned group, in a large ad buy (Bleeding Heartland)
What we couldn’t verify
Whether debates will be held had not been reported in a loaded source.
Repealing the 2025 Medicaid cuts and protecting rural hospitals.
Letting Americans buy into Medicare at any age.
Fighting 'for Iowa families, not insurance companies.'
Being 'an independent voice' in Congress; she says thousands of Trump voters also voted for her in 2024.
Restoring abortion access, which she says would help rural hospitals recruit OB-GYNs.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Former Iowa state representative; University of Iowa law professor.
Democratic nominee for this district in 2022 and 2024; won the June 2, 2026 primary over Travis Terrell.
Raised more than $4.8 million this cycle as of May 13, per The Hill.
Endorsed by Ob-GynPAC in 2026.
Arguments in favor
Ob-GynPAC switched from Miller-Meeks to Bohannan this year, citing the need to protect OB-GYN care as Iowa hospitals end birthing services.
— Ob-GynPAC, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (Bleeding Heartland)
'In 2024, thousands of Iowans who voted for President Trump also voted for me … Iowans of all parties trust me because of our shared love of country, our mutual disillusionment with the political establishment.'
— Christina Bohannan campaign website (The Hill)
Arguments against
'Christina Bohannan is soft on crime, wrong on prisons, and weak on immigration. Professor Bohannan might be right for the DSA, but she's wrong for Iowa' — she 'voted to make it easier for sex offenders to get off the registry, wrote a check to an anti-prison group, and donated to bail illegal immigrants out of detention.'
— Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and campaign manager Peter Owens, campaign ad release (The Iowa Standard)
As chair of the University of Iowa College of Law's DEI committee, Bohannan encouraged donations to groups that support abolishing cash bail, prisons and police, and in 2020 called Iowa's Back the Blue law 'dangerous and disturbing.'
— NRCC spokeswoman Emily Tuttle
In the Iowa House, Bohannan 'was one of only 12 legislators to vote to make it easier for sexual predators to remove their names from the registered sex offenders list.'
— NRCC
What we couldn’t verify
The sex offender registry vote the NRCC and Miller-Meeks cite was not examined in a loaded neutral source; a reader comment on The Iowa Standard said it was a vote on a larger package, which could not be verified.
Term limits and age limits for members of Congress, and a ban on congressional stock trading.
A middle ground on immigration between lax border enforcement and rounding up long-time community members.
Congress reclaiming its role before any escalation of the Iran war, and a diplomatic solution.
Addressing cost of living, economic opportunity and rural health care access.
Forming an independent caucus in the House.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Has not held elected office.
Qualified for the ballot by petition as a No Party candidate.
Endorsed by the Forward Party.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No criticism of Bridgford by name was found, so his Forward Party endorsement is listed in his record rather than as an argument. His fundraising was not found.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
November 3, 2026 is Iowa's general election, decided by plurality; there is no runoff. The map did not change for 2026: Iowa's districts are drawn through the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency process, and no 2026 redraw or pending congressional map litigation was found. Primaries were held June 2, 2026. The roster matches the Iowa Secretary of State's official general election candidate list (August 2026): Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who beat David Pautsch in the primary; Democrat Christina Bohannan, who beat Travis Terrell; and No Party candidate Michael Bridgford, who qualified by petition. This is the third straight Miller-Meeks–Bohannan race; Miller-Meeks won by about 800 votes in 2024, confirmed by recount, the narrowest win of any House Republican that year. The district covers 20 counties in southeast Iowa, including Davenport, Iowa City, Burlington and Indianola. Candidates are listed in the order of the Secretary of State's candidate list; that is not necessarily the printed ballot order, and it implies no ranking.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A Iowa ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.