U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, announced she would vie for House GOP Conference Secretary Tuesday afternoon. 

Miller-Meeks, who is narrowly expected to win reelection this year by less than a percentage point, underscored the need for battleground district representation in House GOP leadership in a letter to her colleagues announcing her candidacy on Tuesday. 

“I wholeheartedly believe that if this Republican Conference is going to win more than a few-seat majority each cycle, we must begin to include members who are elected from battleground districts at the leadership table,” Miller-Meeks wrote in a letter to her colleagues. 

Miller-Meeks said her highly competitive district reflects the nation and the conference. She won her first term in the House by defeating current Iowa Democrats chair Rita Hart by just six votes in 2020 for an open seat. She won reelection in 2022 defeating Democratic challenger Christina Bohannan by 7 percentage points.

Miller-Meeks and Bohannan are currently awaiting results from their  2024 rematch, with Miller-Meeks leading by roughly 800 votes. 

The incumbent touted her record, pointing to her close-race experience as a benefit for someone in leadership to have with the “tough road that 2026 promises to be.” 

“We come off of a successful and historic election thanks to President Trump and an America First agenda, and I believe we have an opportunity to lead while working to cement our majority for Congresses to come,” Miller-Meeks said. 

Miller-Meeks also outlined her current positions on the Energy Commerce and the Veterans Affairs Committees, as well as Chairwoman of the Conservative Climate Caucus.  

U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., currently holds the position of House GOP Conference Secretary, but is vying for Republican GOP Conference Chair. This position was vacated by U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who is expected to be appointed as the Ambassador to the United Nations under President-elect Donald Trump’s administration.