Capitol Notebook: Miller-Meeks announces run for House GOP conference secretary

Eastern Iowa’s U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks has thrown her hat in the ring for a leadership position within the House Republican conference.

Miller-Meeks announced her candidacy Tuesday for House Republican Conference secretary, highlighting the need for representation in House GOP Leadership from swing and battleground districts to help grow the Republican majority.

Control of Congress remains undecided with more than a dozen House races left to be called, including Iowa’s 1st Congressional District. Miller-Meeks currently leads Democrat Christina Bohannan by about 800 votes out of more than 413,000 votes — or about .19 percent of the total votes cast in the race.

Miller-Meeks has declared victory, calling it “mathematically impossible” for the 800-vote lead be made up with remaining provisional ballots left to be counted. But Bohannan has not conceded, saying the race was too close to call. Her campaign was awaiting the results of the canvass of votes this week in the congressional district.

The Associated Press had not yet called the race as of Tuesday.

House Republican leaders likely face another razor-thin majority in the new Congress.

“I wholeheartedly believe that if this Republican Conference is going to win more than a few-seat majority each cycle, we must begin to include members who are elected from battleground districts at the leadership table,” Miller-Meeks wrote in a letter declaring her candidacy for the secretary position that assists the House Republican conference chair communicate the party's message to members.

“I have proven that I have the ability to overcome challenges to continue to represent a swing district and we must ensure that we focus on our incumbents, as well as our challengers, to continue our success,” the letter continues. “The seats we need to expand our majority will come from swing or Democrat districts, and I think it would be beneficial to have someone in leadership who knows this struggle and that can help prepare our members for that tough road that 2026 promises to be.”

Miller-Meeks unsuccessfully ran for Congress three times before she won in 2020 by six votes against Democrat Rita Hart. Miller-Meeks then defeated Bohannan by 7 percentage points in 2022.

The GOP incumbent sits on the House Energy and Commerce and House Veterans Affairs committees, and serves as chair of the Conservative Climate Caucus.

Iowa DOT approves $3.5 million for trails

The Iowa Transportation Commission, a division of the Iowa Department of Transportation, approved $3.5 million for nine projects in the state’s Recreational Trails Program.

Created in 1988, the program helps develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related activities for all trail users. The funding is available to cities, counties, state agencies and nonprofit organizations through an annual application-based program.

Among the allocations were $745,000 for resurfacing and bridge replacement for the Iowa River’s Edge Trail in Hardin County, $700,000 for a connector between the Neal Smith and High Trestle Trails in Polk City, and $520,000 for a connection between trails in Clay and Dickinson counties.

AARP names new Iowa director

Michael Wagler, of Des Moines, has been named Iowa state director of the AARP.

Wagler will oversee operations of AARP’s Iowa office, including four full-time employees and a volunteer advisory executive council, according to an AARP news release.

Wagler replaces Brad Anderson, who has taken a new role as AARP’s vice president for community engagement.

“I’m excited to dive in and continue the important work of advancing programs that support older Iowans and their families,” Wagler said in a statement.

Wagler most recently worked with the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Main Street Iowa program, starting in 2002, and has spent more than 20 years working in community development, according to AARP. Wagler also is president of Varsity Cinema + Des Moines Film, which recently rehabilitated and reopened Des Moines’ historic Varsity Theater near Drake University.

Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau

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