DES Moines, Iowa — A few top Republican leaders in Iowa are already hinting at a possible run for governor in 2026 — just days after Gov. Kim Reynolds announced she won’t seek a third term.
“On the other hand, we are gonna have a lot of people that are gonna test the waters on this,” said Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann. “So we are gonna have, I believe, a very robust primary — and that’s not bad for a party either.”
So far, state Rep. Brad Sherman is the only Republican to officially throw his hat in the ring, but others are beginning to show interest.
“I am considering a run for governor, and I am weighing what that might look like — with this not being a topic that I had any sort of thought I would be thinking about up until Friday,” said state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann (R- Wilton).
Rep. Kaufmann chairs the House Ways and Means Committee. He said he could make a decision by early summer. While he’s confident he could win, he said he needs time to think about the lifestyle change that would come with the job.
However, there is one person Kaufmann says could change his mind.
“The one person that I would immediately stop considering and would endorse would be my speaker, Pat Grassley,” Kaufmann said.
As for House Speaker Grassley, the door isn’t entirely closed.
“As for my political future, I’m not ruling anything out,” Grassley said. “My focus right now remains on the last few weeks of session with the House Republican caucus and delivering on the promises we’ve made to Iowans. We have important work remaining — like passing a responsible budget that funds Iowans’ priorities, rooting out DEI, and protecting landowners from eminent domain abuse.”
Senate President Amy Sinclair also hasn’t ruled out a run.
“Before deciding whether or not I would run for governor, I would need to talk with my family and Senate colleagues,” Sinclair said. “However, I am currently focused on wrapping up another successful legislative session and my youngest son’s graduation from high school. I am always open to exploring new possibilities — I never thought I would be Senate president. Any decision I make will come after the conclusion of session.”
And as Iowa’s GOP chair points out, there’s still plenty of time.
“I don’t think we need to necessarily get in a hurry right now — this is still early in the cycle,” Kaufmann said. “The one thing I can promise: the party must be vigilantly neutral.”
Then there’s former President Donald Trump’s pick — Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird.
Trump floated Bird as a possible candidate during his caucus night victory speech earlier this year.
“In the weeks ahead, Bob and I will pray and consider what this decision means for our future,” Bird said in a statement posted to X. “I appreciate the calls of encouragement I’ve already received.”
