Rita Hart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rita Hart
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| Chair of the Iowa Democratic Party | |
| Assumed office January 29, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Ross Wilburn |
| Member of the Iowa Senate from the 49th district |
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| In office January 14, 2013 – January 14, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Hubert Houser |
| Succeeded by | Chris Cournoyer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 5, 1956 Charles City, Iowa, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Paul Hart |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | North Iowa Area Community College (AA) University of Northern Iowa (BA) University of Iowa (MA) |
Rita Hart was born on May 5, 1956. She is an American politician and a former teacher. She served as a State Senator for Iowa from 2013 to 2019. A State Senator is someone elected to represent a part of their state in the state's law-making group.
Rita Hart is a member of the Democratic Party. In 2018, she ran for Lieutenant Governor of Iowa. The Lieutenant Governor is like a vice-president for a state. She ran with Fred Hubbell, who was running for Governor.
On January 29, 2023, Rita Hart was chosen to lead the Iowa Democratic Party. This means she helps guide the party's work in Iowa.
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Rita Hart's Early Life and Schooling
Rita Hart was born in Charles City, Iowa. She went to college and earned several degrees. First, she received an associate degree from North Iowa Area Community College. An associate degree is usually a two-year degree.
Then, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Northern Iowa. A bachelor's degree is typically a four-year degree. Later, she earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of Iowa. A master's degree is an advanced degree you get after a bachelor's.
What Rita Hart Did Before Politics
Before she became a politician, Rita Hart worked as a teacher. She taught in public schools in places like Bennett, Iowa, and the Calamus–Wheatland area.
Besides teaching, Rita Hart and her husband also own and run a farm.
Rita Hart's Work in the Senate
When Rita Hart was an Iowa State Senator, she worked on many important committees. These committees help decide on new laws and policies. She was part of committees for things like agriculture (farming), economic growth (making the economy stronger), and education.
She also served on committees that looked at local government, veterans' affairs, and economic development. She helped with groups focused on international relations and human rights.
In 2018, Fred Hubbell chose Rita Hart to be his running mate for Lieutenant Governor. They ran together in the election for Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Iowa. However, they lost the election to the Republican candidates, Kim Reynolds and her running mate.
The Close 2020 Election for Congress
On May 14, 2019, Rita Hart announced she would run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. This is part of the U.S. Congress, where laws are made for the whole country. She ran to represent Iowa's 2nd congressional district.
She won her party's primary election without anyone running against her. In the main election, she ran against Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a Republican.
The election in 2020 for Iowa's 2nd congressional district was incredibly close. It was one of the closest federal elections in U.S. history. After all the votes were counted again (a process called a recount), Mariannette Miller-Meeks was declared the winner by only six votes.
Rita Hart believed that some votes were not counted correctly. She decided to challenge the election results. She sent a petition to the House Administration Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. This committee can look into election challenges.
She argued that 22 legal votes were not counted, and that the way votes were recounted in different counties was not fair. She believed that if these votes were counted, she would have won the election.
On January 3, 2021, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi allowed Miller-Meeks to take her seat in Congress. However, this was only temporary while Rita Hart's challenge was being reviewed.
On March 31, 2021, Rita Hart decided to withdraw her challenge. She said she was ending her campaign because of a lot of confusing information. After she withdrew, Miller-Meeks officially became the representative for Iowa's 2nd Congressional District.
Rita Hart's Family Life
Rita Hart is married to Paul Hart. They have five children together. The family lives in Wheatland, Iowa.
