Republican Kim Reynolds will not seek a third term as governor of Iowa

Kim Reynolds announced that she will not seek a third term as governor of Iowa. The Republican communicated her intentions through a pre-recorded video posted on her X account, where she assured that, after almost ten years in the governorship, the time has come to devote more time to her family. This will open the election for 2026, with many Republicans interested in his seat.

Reynolds, who previously served as a state senator and lieutenant governor, assumed her current post in 2017 after Gov. Terry Branstad was nominated by Donald Trump to serve as ambassador to China. Between his two nonconsecutive terms, Branstad governed Iowa for 24 years. As for the incumbent, she validated her seat in the 2018 election, being re-elected in 2022 with 58% of the vote, five more than four years earlier.

"This wasn’t an easy decision, because I love the state and I love serving you, but when my term ends, I will have had the privilege of serving as your governor for almost 10 years, and before that as lieutenant governor and state senator. This public service has been an incredible journey — one that I wouldn’t trade for anything, but as Iowans know, family is everything," the governor expressed in X's video.

"Through the years, my parents and my husband, Kevin, our daughters, and our grandchildren have stood by my side, supporting me through every challenge and every victory, and now it’s time for me to be there for them," added Reynolds, who will effectively leave office in early 2027.

According to her website, she has lowered taxes and shrunk government over the years, with the goal of making the state "a national model of bold and effective government."

"We have important work ahead, keeping our economy strong, supporting our families and farmers, defending our freedoms, and ensuring that every Iowan has the opportunity to succeed. I'm more energized than ever to finish what we started and to leave Iowa in the strongest possible position for the future," the Republican continued.

Reynolds' changing relationship with Trump

While the two were close during the first Trump Administration, things began to sour after the 2022 midterm elections. The relationship worsened considerably when, in November 2023, Reynolds openly endorsed Ron DeSantis for president, even breaking the traditional neutrality of Iowa governors in the caucuses.

As he put it at the time, the Republican Party needed "someone who calls out our moral decline for what it is, who looks to the future and not the past, someone who, most importantly, can win." "That person is Ron DeSantis. And that’s why I am so proud to stand here tonight and give him my full support and endorsement for president of the United States of America," she added.

When it was already clear that Trump would be the eventual nominee, Reynolds lined up behind. "Joe Biden has been a disaster for our country. Higher prices, inflation, an open border, crime, and the destruction of America’s image on the world stage. I will do everything to defeat him and elect Donald J. Trump for president of the United States!" he tweeted in March 2024.