'Suck it up, buttercup.' Fiery Miller-Meeks defends speaker vote that spurred death threats

CORALVILLE — U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, standing on the bed of a bright red truck, delivered a passionate defense of her votes opposing U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan's bid for House speaker — a high-profile break from the majority of House Republicans that she said spawned death threats against her.

“I am never going to quit fighting for Iowa, and I am never going to quit fighting for this country," Miller-Meeks yelled at her annual fundraiser event Friday night. "So if you think you can intimidate me, go … suck it up, buttercup!"

Washington, D.C., was gridlocked this week as House Republicans failed to elect a new speaker. The caucus nominated Jordan, an ultraconservative representative from Ohio.

In the first round of votes, Miller-Meeks and the other three members in Iowa's delegation cast their votes for Jordan — but holdouts from 20 Republicans tanked Jordan's bid. Miller-Meeks explained Friday that she voted to Jordan out of respect for a House rule that members vote on the floor for whoever gets the majority vote in a closed-door conference.

But, she told reporters, she had concerns about whether Jordan could unify the party, and she was worried about the looming threat of a government shutdown.

"I wanted assurances that Republican members of Congress were not going to be attacking other Republicans," Miller-Meeks said. "As soon as the vote was had in conference, and then, not two hours later, we had that coming out."

In the second round of votes on Wednesday, Miller-Meeks withdrew her support for Jordan. She cast her vote Wednesday for U.S. Rep. Kay Granger of Texas, a Republican who chairs the Appropriations Committee.

"Since my vote in support of Chairwoman Granger, I have received credible death threats and a barrage of threatening calls," Miller-Meeks said in a statement Wednesday night. "The proper authorities have been notified and my office is cooperating fully."

On Friday, Jordan lost a third floor vote for speaker, with Iowa's delegation voting for him except for Miller-Meeks. Jordan then lost a secret ballot and withdrew his nomination.

Miller-Meeks did not mention the death threats specifically during her speech Friday, but she delivered a passionate defense of her Congressional record.

“I’m not a Democrat. I am a proud Republican," Miller-Meeks said. "Why do I want to get appropriations bills across? … It’s because every one of those appropriations bills has Republican priorities and Republican policies."

Miller-Meeks thanked her office staff for dealing with a "very stressful week." She anticipates House Republicans will successfully choose a speaker "next week."

"We had a vote for speaker, and then I had to rush here to make my own tailgate. And so, there are candidates who have thrown their name into the ring," Miller-Meeks told reporters. "I have told everybody I’m not doing anything until Sunday."

Katie Akin is a politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at kakin@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @katie_akin.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Mariannette Miller-Meeks delivers defense after Jim Jordan 'no' vote