Third-attempt U.S. House candidates are 0-and-10 in Iowa

CEDAR RAPIDS — Misery may love company, but for three-time unsuccessful congressional candidate Mariannette Miller-Meeks, company is no substitute for winning.

However, the Ottumwa ophthalmologist who lost a third challenge to U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack earlier this month, has company.

Her loss, following defeats in 2008 and 2010, means major party nominees who lost their first two Iowa U.S. House races are now 0 for 10 the third time around, according to Smart Politics, a non-partisan political news site at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

Although it's rare for one candidate to suffer defeat in three attempts for the same office, Miller-Meeks joins three other Eastern Iowan three-peaters.

The late Tom Riley of Cedar Rapids (1968, 1974, 1976), Democrat Eric Tabor, formerly of Baldwin, (1986, 1988, 1990) and Davenport Democrat Bill Gluba (1982, 1988, 2004) also are on the Hawkeye State Three Strikes list, according to Smart Politics.

The others on the list are Democrat William Leffingwell (1858, 1868, 1870), Democrat Anthony Van Wagenen (1894, 1912 (special), 1912), Democrat James Murtagh (1906, 1914, 1916), Democrat Clair Williams (1944, 1946, 1952), Democrat Steven Carter (1948, 1950, 1956) and Republican Don Mahon (1966, 1968, 1970).