Iowa Democrat drops bid to overturn election result citing ‘toxic’ disinformation campaign

Rita Hart had challenged her six-vote loss in Iowa before the House Administration Committee

In this 8 October 2020 file photo, Democratic congressional candidate Rita Hart answers a question during a debate with Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks in Cedar Rapids, Iowa (AP)

Democrat Rita Hart on Wednesday dropped her bid to overturn her six-vote loss in the second Congressional district of Iowa, blaming a “toxic campaign of political disinformation” for arriving at her decision.

She has, thereby, withdrawn her challenge pending before the House Administration Committee which has the power to decide disputed results and had been reviewing Ms Hart’s claim.

In a three-paragraph statement posted on Twitter, the former state senator said a "toxic campaign of political disinformation" made her drop the appeal against the victory of Republican representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks.

“Despite our best efforts to have every vote counted, the reality is that the toxic campaign of political disinformation to attack this constitutional review of the closest congressional contest in 100 years has effectively silenced the voices of Iowans,” Ms Hart said.

"It is a stain on our democracy that the truth has not prevailed and my hope for the future is a return to decency and civility," she further said.

A person familiar with Ms Hart’s decision told the Washington Post on condition of anonymity that she did not want to put her family through the mounting negative and misleading attacks arising out of her bid to overturn the election results.

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The Democrat had alleged that she and her team found that 22 legally cast ballots were not counted and if included, would swing the results of the tightest electoral outcome in her favour.

In all, nearly 400,000 votes were cast and the results were certified in favour of representative Ms Miller-Meeks by the Iowa State Board Canvassers after a full recount, reported AP.

With Democrats holding onto a narrow majority of 219-211, Ms Hart also got shaky support from within the party itself with at least seven Democrats publicly expressing their reluctance to back her effort.

“Losing a House election by six votes is painful for Democrats. But overturning it in the House would be even more painful for America. Just because a majority can, does not mean a majority should,” tweeted Democratic representative Dean Phillips.

Ms Hart was also under fire from the Republicans for taking her case to the House instead of challenging it in the court. Though she asserted that she wouldn’t have had adequate time to prepare a court challenge, Republicans argued that she let go of the legal challenge because Democratic control of that chamber increased her chances of winning.

The GOP also accused Democrats of practising double standards for considering overturning the election results just months after they voted to impeach the former president Donald Trump for his role in the Capitol riots which was said to be inspired by his attempts to stop the congressional certification of Joe Biden’s victory based on the baseless claims of electoral fraud.

Following her decision to withdraw the challenge, Ms Miller-Meeks thanked Ms Hart in a one-paragraph statement.

"I know how extremely difficult it is to lose an election, but for the people to have faith and confidence in the election system and Iowa laws, it was gracious of her to concede at this time," said Ms Miller-Meeks.

Soon after Ms Hart’s announcement, representative Zoe Lofgren, who is the top Democrat in the House Administration Committee, said the panel would move to suspend the review of the results.

“The contest before the Committee on House Administration was proceeding under the Federal Contested Election Act, which requires a contestant,” said Ms Lofgren.

“There being no contestant, there is no longer a contest, and the committee will, accordingly, recommend that the whole House dispose of the contest and adopt a dismissal resolution reported out by the Committee,” she said.

Additional reporting from the wires