Mariannette Miller-Meeks

Lawyer and Democrat Taylor Wettach launched a campaign for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, the seat held by Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks. Wettach said he decided to run for office when the firm he worked for, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, struck a deal with President Donald Trump.

Republican lawmakers from Iowa and Nebraska gave up millions of dollars they requested for projects in their districts when they voted on a bill to keep the government open in March. Constituents and beneficiaries of Community Project Funding worry the money won’t be restored.

In the last presidential year election, Rep. Miller-Meeks won her Congressional seat by six votes. This year, the race is a toss-up, and neither candidate is taking any votes for granted.