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| Governor Kim Reynolds | |
|---|---|
| Name | Kim Reynolds |
| Office | Governor of Iowa |
| Term start | May 24, 2017 |
| Predecessor | Terry Branstad |
| Birth date | August 4, 1959 |
| Birth place | Truro, Iowa |
| Party | Republican Party |
| Spouse | Kevin Reynolds |
| Alma mater | Northwest Missouri State University; Indian Hills Community College |
Governor Kim Reynolds
Kim Reynolds is an American politician who serves as the chief executive of the U.S. state of Iowa. A member of the Republican Party (United States), she assumed gubernatorial duties in May 2017 after her predecessor resigned to become United States Ambassador to China. Prior to holding the governorship in her own right, she served in statewide and local offices across Iowa, including as a member of the Iowa State Senate and as lieutenant governor under Governor Terry Branstad.
Reynolds was born in Truro, Iowa, and raised in Cumberland, Iowa and Adair County, Iowa. She graduated from Cumberland High School (Iowa) and later attended Indian Hills Community College and Northwest Missouri State University, where she studied management and accounting. Her early career included roles with the Iowa Department of Human Services and the Iowa Department of Revenue, and she worked in private-sector positions linked to community banking and small-business development in Adair County, Iowa and Guthrie County, Iowa.
Reynolds entered elected office on the Guthrie County Board of Supervisors, representing rural constituents in central Iowa. She later won election to the Iowa State Senate representing the 48th district, where she served on committees that intersected with Human Services (Iowa) and Economic Development initiatives tied to state agencies and local governments. During her senate tenure she sponsored and supported legislation related to tax policy and welfare reform, often aligning with leadership figures within the Iowa Republican Party and national conservative organizations such as the American Legislative Exchange Council.
In 2011 Reynolds was selected as running mate to incumbent Governor Terry Branstad for the 2010 and 2014 election cycles, serving as lieutenant governor from January 2011 until May 2017. As lieutenant governor she chaired the Governor's STEM Advisory Council and the Iowa Council on Homelessness, and she led initiatives on workforce development that coordinated with entities including Iowa Workforce Development, the Iowa Economic Development Authority, and regional college systems. Her lieutenant governorship also involved roles in trade promotion with delegations to China and partnerships with agricultural stakeholders such as the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.
Reynolds first ascended to the governorship in May 2017 following Branstad's resignation; she then ran for election to a full term in 2018, securing the Republican nomination over statewide and national figures affiliated with the Republican Party (United States). In 2018 her campaign emphasized tax reform, regulatory reduction advocated by groups like the National Federation of Independent Business, and criminal justice changes discussed with stakeholders including the Iowa Department of Corrections. She won the 2018 general election against the Democratic nominee, who had ties to organizations such as the Iowa Democratic Party and advocacy groups focused on health care and labor. Reynolds ran for re-election in 2022, facing a Democratic challenger with backgrounds in education and union activity, and campaigned on issues including appropriations for transportation projects and workforce pipelines tied to community colleges.
As governor Reynolds has overseen state responses to major events including natural disasters affecting Iowa counties and the statewide public health crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her administration directed public health orders issued by the Iowa Department of Public Health and coordinated with federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). She signed legislation impacting taxation, infrastructure funding, and regulatory reform, working with leadership in both chambers of the Iowa General Assembly. Reynolds has also prioritized workforce development through partnerships with Iowa's community colleges and business groups including the Greater Des Moines Partnership.
Reynolds's policy stances align with conservative priorities advocated by national and state actors such as the Republican National Committee, the Iowa Republican Party, and advocacy organizations like Americans for Prosperity. She has supported state-level tax cuts enacted by the Iowa Legislature and measures to limit regulatory burdens promoted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. On social policy, Reynolds has endorsed restrictions advanced by Republican lawmakers on matters before the Iowa Supreme Court and the Iowa General Assembly. Her administration has promoted school choice initiatives that intersect with Iowa Department of Education programs and voucher proposals supported by groups such as the Heritage Foundation. On energy and agriculture, Reynolds has engaged with stakeholders including the Iowa Corn Growers Association and utilities regulated by the Iowa Utilities Board to shape policy on renewables and biofuels.
- 2010: Elected Lieutenant Governor on the Branstad–Reynolds ticket, defeating a Democratic ticket supported by the Iowa Democratic Party and allied unions. - 2014: Re-elected as Lieutenant Governor on the Branstad–Reynolds ticket with backing from national Republican figures and state business coalitions. - 2018: Elected Governor in her own right after campaigning against a Democratic nominee affiliated with Iowa Democratic Party leadership, winning statewide majorities in both urban areas like Polk County and rural counties across Iowa. - 2022: Re-elected Governor in a rematch-style contest emphasizing incumbency and conservative policy priorities, with campaign infrastructure supported by state Republican committees and allied political action committees.
Category:Governors of Iowa Category:Republican Party (United States) politicians from Iowa