Newly re-elected Iowa Republican sneers at Jimmy Carter rest-in-peace comment

On Monday, recently re-elected Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) made a post on X seemingly mocking a “rest in peace” comment for former President Jimmy Carter a day after he died.

The post was made by former “Saturday Night Live” cast member and U.S. Sen. Al Franken, who said that Carter is “our best former president – by far.”

Miller-Meeks responded by saying, “Well you are a comedian.”

Well you are a comedian https://t.co/3e87bNYB3L

— Dr. Miller-Meeks (@millermeeks) December 31, 2024

Miller-Meeks’ office did not immediately respond to a request to provide further context on her post.

Carter, who died at the age 100 last Sunday, served as U.S. president from 1977-81. Franken was likely praising the humanitarian efforts Carter engaged in after his presidency, which garnered him a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. This work included foreign diplomacy, building homes for the needy and working to eradicate diseases in Africa and Asia.

Miller-Meeks was first elected to Congress in 2020 and has defended her seat against Democratic challenger Christina Bohannan in 2022 and 2024. Bohannan is a former Iowa state representative who lost to Miller-Meeks by 0.2 percentage points (799 votes).

In July, Miller-Meeks sponsored legislation to limit the Department of Energy’s authority over enforcing energy conservation standards for household appliances.