In a video posted to social media this (Friday) morning, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced she will not seek re-election at the end of her current term. Reynolds says the decision to step aside came after much thought, prayer, and conversations with her family.
Reynolds became governor in 2017 after then-Gov. Terry Branstad stepped aside to become the US ambassador to China under the first Trump Administration. Reynolds narrowly won her first gubernatorial election against Fred Hubbell in 2018 and then defeated Deidre DeJear in her 2022 re-election campaign with 58 percent of the vote. Reynolds says she still has a term to finish, and she’ll be full-steam ahead for the remainder of her time in office.
The announcement comes more than 18 months before the 2026 elections, which leaves plenty of time for gubernatorial hopefuls to explore the feasibility of a campaign. A link to Reynolds’ full statement from Friday morning is included below.
— Kim Reynolds (@KimReynoldsIA) April 11, 2025
