U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, shown here in a file photo from Sept. 10, 2024, will visit Iowa on Oct. 18 to support two GOP congressional candidates in close races. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
House Speaker Mike Johnson is traveling to Iowa Friday to hold events with incumbent U.S. Reps. Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Republicans seeking reelection in competitive districts.
Miller-Meeks, representing Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, faces Democrat Christina Bohannan in the Nov. 5 general election. Nunn faces Democrat Lanon Baccam in the 3rd District.
Both races are rated “toss-ups” by the Cook Political Report and other election forecasters, meaning Democrats have the chance to regain positions in the state’s currently all-GOP congressional delegation. These races could be crucial to the outcome of party control in the House, with only 26 races rated by Cook as “toss-ups” for the 2024 election.
A significant amount of money has flowed into both races — Bohannan and Baccam both outraised their opponents in the most recent Federal Elections Commission report for the quarter ending Sept. 30. In the most recent reporting period, Bohannan spent more than $3 million of her campaign funds, while Miller-Meeks spent roughly $1.2 million. Baccam spent $2.6 million and Nunn spent $1.8 million in the same period.
Additionally, data compiled by OpenSecrets found outside groups have spent a total of more than $5 million in Iowa’s 1st District and $9 million in the 3rd District this cycle.
While both districts have seen aggressive advertising campaigns, there have been relatively few surrogates visiting from outside the state to support either party’s candidates. Candidates from both parties have acknowledged that national support — and visits related to the presidential race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump — are likely to be limited in Iowa this election cycle, as forecasters predict the state will again support Trump.
But House Republican leadership plans to make a stop to support Miller-Meeks and Nunn as they face tough reelection challenges. Johnson, representing Louisiana’s 4th congressional district, will hold events with Nunn and Miller-Meeks Friday.
Johnson was elected speaker in October 2023 after a lengthy process when former U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy was removed from the position. He is holding “get out to vote” events with the two Iowa Republican candidates as part of a larger “American Revival Tour” in the lead-up to the November election.
Alongside Iowa stops, Johnson plans to hold events supporting GOP candidates in states like Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania in the coming days, according to Fox News.
While details on Friday’s events have not yet been released, Miller-Meeks said in a news release that she was “honored” to bring Johnson back for the Indianola event and have his endorsement.
“I will work with Speaker Johnson and other conservative leaders to deliver for Iowa and defeat Kamala Harris and Democrat extremists in November,” Miller Meeks said.