Zach Weigel
Kim Reynolds’ taking over as Iowa governor marks a rather stark change in Iowa’s leadership. Former Gov. Terry Branstad holds the honor of being the longest-serving governor ever with six nonconsecutive terms. But while Branstad had been a mainstay in Iowa politics since the 1980s, Reynolds is a relative newcomer. Perhaps that’s why her rise to the governorship has received such little press. Moreover, given that President Trump continually dominates the news cycle, maybe it isn’t all that surprising that Reynolds’ promotion has received little attention.
At only 48 years old, Reynolds is the first female governor of Iowa. It’s another positive sign for gender-equality enthusiasts; just two years ago, Joni Ernst became Iowa’s first female member of the Senate. Now that Reynolds is governor, it’s time we get to know her a little better.
A rapid riser in the Iowa political landscape, Reynolds served as county treasurer before launching her career in state politics in 2008 as state senator. However, Reynolds’ time as a state senator didn’t last long; Branstad selected her to be his lieutenant-governor candidate for his second stint as governor, which began in 2011. So in the span of a few years, Reynolds went from obscurity as Clarke County treasurer to second in command of Iowa.
What else is there to know about her? If interesting is what you’re looking for, then Reynolds certainly fits the bill. Aside from her political position, Reynolds has been a pharmacy assistant and a board member for the Iowa Public Employee Retirement System, and she has been sober since her OWIs, one in 1999 and another in 2000. Furthermore, Reynolds finally received her first bachelor’s degree from Iowa State just last year after haphazardly earning credits at various institutions over the previous few decades. Needless to say, Reynolds’ life story doesn’t exactly follow the script of a stereotypical politician.
When it comes to her stance on political issues, it should come as no surprise that her ideology largely follows that of her predecessor. Continuing to facilitate a welcoming business environment is atop her priorities, in addition to bolstering the technological infrastructure (rural Internet access/quality), according to the goals listed on the state of Iowa’s website.
Nonetheless, Reynolds didn’t campaign to be governor. She inherited the job midterm, meaning that she will have to deal with the pressing issues facing the state such as smoothing out Medicaid privatization, preventing Obamacare insurers from leaving the state, funding K-12 and higher education, improving the lackluster condition of Iowa’s roads and bridges, and helping farmers adjust to the fourth-consecutive year of decreased farm income.
So now that we know Reynolds’ past, her current views, and what’s at stake, what will the future hold? If I had to guess, I’d say that she will try to avoid controversy and simply continue to build upon the conservative foundation that Branstad laid, because in just over a year she’ll be up for re-election. And if Republicans are to maintain their firm grip in Iowa by controlling the governorship, House, and Senate, I suspect Reynolds will try to lie low and stay out of the spotlight over the next year or so. Then again, Reynolds’ past indicates that she’s a bit unconventional, so she could surprise us.
