Washington

U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks stopped at Pizza Ranch in Washington last week during her campaign tour. 

During her opening remarks, Miller-Meeks introduced Johnson County supervisor candidate Jennie Wunderlich and U.S. Rep. Mike Kennedy of Utah, who had helped the campaign by going door to door.

“I’m not a politician. I’m a doctor who’s elected to office,” Miller-Meeks said. She added that she follows through on her commitments, even when some people disagree.

Miller-Meeks also discussed the race, saying she expected another close election.

Turning to the war in Iran, she discussed her vote against it.

“I voted against the Iran War because I'm a veteran, and the president needs to come to us with a plan once the ceasefire collapses. We owe that to our veterans that we have a plan and have a mission.”

She said she had taken the same approach with the previous administration.

Miller-Meeks outlined proposals she said would lower gas and diesel prices.

“Pause the gas tax, pause the diesel. Don't export diesel and keep it for this temporary time. And we know at the beginning of this year, gas and diesel was hovering around $2. We know it can go back there.”

She also discussed prescription drug costs, citing her vote to cap insulin prices.

“When I broke with my party, I voted to cap insulin at $35 because it helped Iowans.”

“We have worked very hard and very diligently to bring down those prescription drug costs for everyone, not just for those individuals in Medicare,” she said.

Miller-Meeks also addressed insurance premiums.

“I've been willing to tackle and take on the insurance companies to lower premiums.”

On tariffs, Miller-Meeks said they can “cut both ways.”

“Tariffs that create jobs are good, and tariffs that raise prices are bad. So, when there is a tariff that hurts Iowa farmers, I put forth a bill to remove that tariff, and it was lifted this summer.”

“So we're going to continue to work to have a more nuanced approach to how we do tariffs.”

She said tariffs were also helping bring manufacturing jobs to Iowa, citing a steel mill project she identified as Mesabi Metallics in Lee County.

“Those same policies, those same tariffs, are bringing the largest steel mill in America’s history to Lee County with 1,700 permanent jobs. $49 an hour—that is transformational to that area.”

Miller-Meeks also spoke about her upbringing, saying she left home at 16 and enlisted in the Army at 18. While attending college, she worked nights to pay for school. She said her parents had taught her the value of hard work.

“There's value and dignity in work, and I'm not going to be shamed. Work for yourselves. We're entrepreneurial. We have merit. We have built a great country, and we will continue to build a great country.”

She also discussed protecting children, Social Security and retirement income.

“We're going to continue to protect children. We're going to continue to check to protect their dream of America, their opportunities, and we're going to do that and protect you as well with your social security, your retirement income, and your willingness to be able to raise your family here in Iowa.”

Miller-Meeks closed by encouraging those attending to cast their ballots and urge others to participate.

“Vote and get people to vote."