Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced on Friday she will not seek reelection in 2026, startling Republicans in the GOP-heavy state.
Reynolds said in a video online that choosing not to run for a third term “was not an easy decision,” but cited a desire to spend more time with her family. Reynolds, first elected in 2018, is Iowa’s first female governor.
Iowa Republicans for months had widely expected Reynolds to run again, before word began circulating among some GOPers in recent days that she might decline to mount another bid. The Republican primary will likely be crowded: Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig and U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson are among the potential GOP candidates.
Former Trump campaign adviser Chris LaCivita alreadybacked Bird in a post on X, highlighting her early endorsement of the president.
A former Republican state lawmaker, Brad Sherman, declared his candidacy in February.
Reynolds endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ahead of the 2024 Iowa caucuses, angering many in the Iowa GOP. She eventually backed President Donald Trump, following through on her promise to support the party’s nominee.
Iowa is so heavily Republican that the gubernatorial race will likely be extraordinarily difficult for Democrats. Trump carried the state last year by more than 13 percentage points. Still, Iowa Democrats, even before Friday’s announcement, were bullish about their prospects in a favorable midterm environment, despite not holding the governorship since Chet Culver’s election in 2007. State Auditor Rob Sand, the only statewide elected Democrat, is a likely candidate.
“I have no doubt that Iowa and our Republican Party will remain in great hands,” Reynolds said. “I am confident that the next generation will continue to build on our success.”
