Democrat Christina Bohannan announced plans Tuesday to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks for a second time. 

Bohannan, a former state representative and University of Iowa Law professor, announced her candidacy for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District on Tuesday morning and kicked off her campaign at an event in Davenport on Tuesday evening with Quad Cities Federation of Labor President Dan Gosa.

Bohannan said in a release on Tuesday that she is running because change needs to be made.

“Time after time, Representative Miller-Meeks has abandoned Iowa values to line up with the most radical members of her party,” Bohannan said in the news release. “It’s time we brought back some Iowa common sense. I will always do what’s best for Iowans, to rebuild this country, and rebuild the middle class.” 

Bohannan lost her campaign against Miller-Meeks in 2022 by over 20,000 votes and seven percent of the vote. Miller-Meeks’ seven-point win came after winning by only six votes in 2020 in her contest against current Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart. 

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has announced that Iowa’s 1st  and 3rd Congressional Districts, which currently seat Republican Reps. Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn, are among a list of targeted U.S. House seats in 2024. 

A Cook Political Report rating of 2024 house seats shows Iowa’s 1st Congressional District as likely Republican. 

Reports of Bohannan’s potential run were rumored, but unconfirmed, early this week. During a town hall event on Monday, Miller-Meeks told reporters that running for office, “takes a lot of perseverance, a lot of courage.” 

“So, I applaud and respect anyone that’s going to put their name on the ballot and throw their hat in the ring.”

Iowa GOP chair Jeff Kaufmann released a statement Friday regarding Bohannan’s announcement. Bohannan did not announce her candidacy officially until four days later. 

“Hopefully the 10 months since the last election have given Christina Bohannan enough time to fabricate a more compelling resume for Iowa voters than her her last congressional bid,” Kaufmann said. “At least she can probably count on another Nancy Pelosi endorsement to really nail the coffin, again.”

In a news release following the campaign event in Davenport Simplice Kuelo, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 431 president, said Bohannan understands the struggles of working families. 

“Like so many of us, Christina is sick and tired of Washington politics getting in the way of progress,” Kuelo said in the news release. “I couldn’t be prouder to have Christina with us today, because she is someone who will never be beholden to party bosses, corporate lobbyists, or the Washington crowd.”

Bohannan pledged to campaign on lowering prescription drug, and health care costs during her announcement on social media on Tuesday. 

“When I was a kid, my dad got sick and he could no longer work construction,” Bohannan said. “We had to choose between paying for his prescription drugs and putting food on the table. The fact is, too many Iowa families are having to make those kinds of difficult decisions every single day. Not enough has changed in Washington.”