Iowa's Mariannette Miller-Meeks reports death threats after withdrawing support for Jim Jordan

DES MOINES — Iowa U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks switched her vote Wednesday for House speaker — and drew death threats, her office says — in joining nearly two dozen Republicans who voted against U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio on his second try at clinching the position.

She was the only Iowa Republican to vote against Jordan, while U.S. Reps. Randy Feenstra, Ashley Hinson and Zach Nunn stuck with the majority of Republicans in supporting the hard-right chair of the House Judiciary Committee. All four voted had for Jordan during the first vote Tuesday.

Miller-Meeks cast her vote for Republican U.S. Rep. Kay Granger of Texas, the House Appropriations Committee chair who also voted against Jordan.

Jordan, the co-founder of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus, won the majority of Republicans' support for speaker in a closed-door vote last week, but he could not muster the needed votes to become the speaker.

Miller-Meeks, who represents Iowa's southeast 1st Congressional District, said in an interview Tuesday she had reservations about Jordan becoming speaker. Those concerns included past opposition to the Farm Bill and biofuel subsidies, as well as the pressure tactics used by Jordan allies to whip votes. But she said she spoke with Jordan and he had addressed those concerns.

"Given those assurances, I honored my commitment and respect for our rule," she said about her initial vote. "Our conference rule is whoever gets the majority gets the vote on the House floor. I honored that commitment, and I honored my desire to open the House."

Miller-Meeks says she received death threats

In a statement issued by her office Wednesday, Miller-Meeks said she received death threats after changing her vote to Granger.

"However, since my vote in support of Chairwoman Granger, I have received credible death threats and a barrage of threatening calls," Miller-Meeks said in a statement. "The proper authorities have been notified and my office is cooperating fully."

She said she voted for Granger because of concerns about Jordan's ability to unify the conference, and after it was clear he did not have the votes.

"Someone who threatens another with bodily harm or tries to suppress differing opinions undermines opportunity for unity and regard for freedom of speech. … I did not stand for bullies before I voted for Chairwoman Granger and when I voted for Speaker designee Jordan, and I will not bend to bullies now."

Miller-Meeks said Republicans need to find a "consensus candidate."

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Democratic opponent criticizes vote

Miller-Meeks faces what is expected to be a competitive re-election challenge from former state Rep. Christina Bohannan, a Democrat who lost her 2022 challenge for the seat.

In an emailed statement Wednesday, Bohannan skewered Miller-Meeks' initial vote for Jordan, noting he has opposed Farm Bills in the past and supported a nationwide strict abortion ban.

"Then she switched her vote to Kay Granger, who has been called a 'hero' of the movement to ban all abortions," Bohannan said. "Miller-Meeks continues to sell us out rather than work in a bipartisan way to get the job done for Iowans."

Hinson calls to empower McHenry

The House is expected to reconvene Thursday for a potential third vote with no clear path forward to unify around a speaker.

A number of House Republicans are calling to empower speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, who currently lacks significant power, in order to perform congressional functions and pass legislation. McHenry is a Republican from North Carolina and ally of ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson said in a video posted to X that the House should not have adjourned for the day, and she criticized the far-right "chaos agents" that orchestrated McCarthy's ouster.

She said if a consensus candidate cannot be found quickly, House Republicans should empower McHenry to carry out the chamber’s business.

"We should be on the floor voting for speaker, or in conference to work out some kind of a plan," Hinson said in the video. "This embarrassing chaos and dysfunction cannot continue."

Miller-Meeks joined U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, in a social media post Wednesday calling for the House to immediately come back to session, though she did not say what she thought the next step should be.

Miller-Meeks suggested Tuesday that House Republicans could empower McHenry. "I think that you can have a privileged resolution on the floor to empower the Speaker Pro Tem to be able to do the business of the House," she said.

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Grassley says there is 'urgency'

Iowa Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley told reporters Wednesday that House Republicans need to resolve the speaker gridlock quickly to respond to pressing issues facing Congress, including in Israel and the Middle East.

He said the failure to elect a speaker risks a government shutdown, as a short-term funding bill passed last month is set to expire Nov. 17.

"They've lost a whole half of the time between three weeks ago and Nov. 17 to get the appropriation bills done," Grassley said. "So there's a lot of urgency to getting a speaker, whoever he is."

Grassley said he did not want to comment on how House Republicans should move past the impasse and that getting involved as a senator would "do more harm than good."