Inside Miller-Meeks’ million dollar haul: Washington D.C. donors, PAC money

The race for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District is shaping up to be the most competitive in 2026. And US Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ first quarter fundraising gives her plenty to celebrate, thanks largely to PACs and out-of-state money. Less than 8% came from Iowa donors. 

US Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks — the victor of not one but two historically narrow elections — is among the most targeted congressional incumbents in the country. If she runs for reelection in 2026, she faces another primary from the political right, and if she emerges from that, a well-funded Democratic opponent.

That’s why she was “thrilled” to announce she raised just over $1 million during the first quarter of the year, according to a campaign finance report covering fundraising and spending between Jan. 1 and March 31. 

But a look through the report reveals that out-of-state money is inflating her numbers.

Iowa donors gave Miller-Meeks a total of $73,430 — that’s just over 7% of her first quarter total. 

In contrast, Washington D.C. donors contributed $234,094 (23% of her total). Virginia donors contributed another 230,123 (23%). In other words, her campaign committee received six times as much money from D.C. and Virginia donors as Iowa donors. 

Her committee also struck gold among PACs and Republican candidate committees which gave her $731,161 — or 72% of her total raised. Corporate PACs gave her $107,500. That includes 23,500 from PACs associated with companies headquartered outside the United States like Japan’s Otsuka Pharmaceuticals and the United Kingdom’s AstraZeneca PLC.

Incoming from all sides

The funding pattern emerges as Miller-Meeks prepares for what could be her toughest reelection campaign yet. Miller-Meeks won her 2024 race by only about 800 votes, and national Democrats have designated her district as one of their top targets for 2026.

Democrat Travis Terrell, a University of Iowa Health Care employee from Johnson County, has already launched his bid for the seat. Terrell, 39, positions himself as a voice for working-class Iowans, noting he closed out his vacation savings to fund his campaign’s website and first ad.

“I don’t have the master’s education that a lot of politicians do, and I feel like that’s going to be a good thing,” Terrell told the Des Moines Register. His campaign is focusing on protecting Social Security, passing immigration and health care reform, and finding solutions to physician shortages.

Christina Bohannan, Miller-Meeks opponent from 2024, has not said publicly whether she will reenter the race.

On her right, Miller-Meeks also faces a primary challenge from Republican David Pautsch, who announced his intentions in February, setting up a rematch of their 2024 primary contest. Pautsch positions himself as a staunch Trump supporter with backing from MAGA luminaries like Mike Lindell. He often depicts Miller-Meeks as a “confirmed RINO,” or Republican in Name Only, who is merely “pretending” to be a Trump supporter.

Campaign response and strategy

While Miller-Meeks hasn’t officially announced her reelection bid, she has a significant head start in fundraising and recently ruled out running for Iowa governor, stating she’s focusing on her current role representing southeastern Iowa in Congress.

As part of her strategy to fend off the primary challenge, Miller-Meeks has been working to demonstrate loyalty to President Donald Trump. She’s joined the House “DOGE caucus,” signed on as a plaintiff in Trump’s consumer fraud lawsuit against the Des Moines Register, and made multiple public appearances praising the president’s agenda.

But as she warms up the campaign, she faces a grassroots push for her to answer questions at town halls. Since reelection, Miller-Meeks has cited safety concerns for why she hasn’t been holding public town halls. Meanwhile, US Sen. Chuck Grassley and fellow US Rep. Ashley Hinson have held several of these events.

Miller-Meeks recently committed to holding public town halls, following protests organized outside her private events. The congresswoman pointed to logistical challenges, noting it takes months of planning to organize such events. Her office did not return a request for comment on when that event would be.

The Quad-City Times reported that Miller-Meeks told a gathering of Americans For Prosperity that a February call-in town hall attracted 12,000 participants. She told the AFP group to “jump on early” because “Democrats shared the number… Every caller, every person for the first 35 minutes… were all Democrats with questions.”