Battleground Dem called patriotism 'sensitive and controversial' during debate over the Pledge of Allegiance

FIRST ON FOX: An Iowa Democrat seeking to flip one of the nation's most competitive House seats in a rematch described patriotism as "sensitive and controversial" while also questioning the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance in a recently resurfaced newsletter she published in the weeks after the January 6 Capitol riot.

Former Iowa State Rep. Christina Bohannan of Iowa City, who is running against incumbent Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, also criticized the politics around an Iowa bill she ultimately supported that mandated the Pledge of Allegiance for schoolchildren, urging Iowans to think critically about what the pledge means.

"I acknowledge that patriotism is a sensitive and controversial subject," Bohannan wrote in a 2021 newsletter put out by her State House office, while saying she remains patriotic herself.

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"Many progressives have turned away from it. And I see the point, especially when the concept of patriotism has been so co-opted and distorted by the other side," she wrote of Republicans.

The newsletter has resurfaced as recent polling shows a partisan divide over displays of patriotism. AP polling released in June found that about six in 10 Democrats and independents said they never fly the American flag, while roughly seven in 10 Republicans said they display it at least on holidays.

Bohannan wrote that the right viewpoint is to "not cede patriotism to anyone" but instead restore its definition as a belief in "democratic ideals of America and a willingness to fight to make those ideals a reality."

Bohannan went on to critique a February 2021 Republican-led bill, which ultimately passed, requiring the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in public and certain private schools.

Bohannan's campaign manager, Dan Driscoll, told Fox News Digital that "Christina absolutely stands by her vote to require the Pledge of Allegiance in Iowa schools and her passionate defense of patriotism and the greatness of our country and democracy."

"That's why in Congress she'll put that into action by fighting to clean up Washington, enacting term limits and getting corporate money out of our elections, so our government focuses on working for Iowans — unlike Rep. Miller-Meeks who is funded by millions in special interest contributions while voting to raise drug, healthcare and energy costs."

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The bill passed 91-3-6 with Bohannan in favor, but she wrote about her reservations in the same newsletter.

"It was clear that many of our Democratic members in swing districts would risk their seats for voting ‘no’ on this bill," Bohannan wrote. "And even if those members voted for it, they would still be held accountable if other members of our caucus voted ‘no’. That is how deep the concept of patriotism runs."

"But we can reframe the issue in a way that is true to our values."

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Bohannan said in floor remarks at the time that she supported the bill not because she wanted children to "mechanically" recite the oath but because she wanted to give them the opportunity to "think critically" about the words they are saying and whether the U.S. is "living up to them."

"For example, the pledge is not just to the flag, but to the republic for which it stands. So our kids might ask whether our republic can last when our leaders fail to denounce those who subvert our democracy."

Miller-Meeks, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and medic, told Fox News Digital that patriotism "has never been controversial to me, not in the 24 years I served this country and not now."

"Bohannan and her DSA allies are free to call loving America ‘controversial,’ but they have no business representing Iowa," Miller-Meeks said.

Zach Kraft, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee, said Bohannan’s comments were predictable in light of prior controversial support she offered for the left-wing pro-DEI "1619 Project."

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"Leave it to the Queen of DEI to hate America," Kraft told Fox News Digital.

"Only a true... woke warrior like Christina Bohannan could find patriotism offensive but see nothing wrong with calling Iowans backwards for believing in basic biology."

Bohannan warned against a bill prohibiting diversity and "implicit bias" training at schools and universities statewide, calling the Hawkeye State potentially "backward" if it passed.

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"I think that it is going to be very divisive if passed. I think that it's going to send a very bad message about Iowa and that it is going to seem like are kind of this backwards state that doesn't understand there are things like systemic racism."

Miller-Meeks previously defeated Bohannan by about six percentage points in 2022, but the Democrat narrowly lost in 2024 in a race that triggered a recount and resulted in the Republican being re-elected by about 800 votes.

The district, which includes Davenport and Iowa City, home to the University of Iowa, is competing with Rep. Zach Nunn's district to the west for the distinction of being the most competitive in the state.

Fox News Digital's Elaine Mallon contributed to this report.