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Kimberly Kay Reynolds (née Strawn; born August 4, 1959) is an American politician serving since 2017 as the 43rd governor of Iowa. A member of the Republican Party, she is the first female governor in Iowa history.

Key Information

Reynolds was elected Clarke County treasurer in 1994 and served for four terms in that office. She then served a partial term in the Iowa Senate from 2009 to 2011. From 2011 to 2017, Reynolds served as the 46th lieutenant governor of Iowa. She became governor in May 2017 when Governor Terry Branstad stepped down to become the United States ambassador to China. Reynolds won a full term as governor in 2018 and was reelected in 2022.

Reynolds has signed legislation providing for educational vouchers as well as legislation supporting voting rights for felons and Second Amendment rights. Reynolds received poor approval ratings in 2020 for her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. She has a close relationship with the Iowa pork industry. Reynolds delivered the Republican response to President Joe Biden's 2022 State of the Union Address. In 2023, she signed a six-week abortion ban into law, and in 2025, she signed a bill repealing anti-discrimination protections for transgender people.

On April 11, 2025, Reynolds announced she will not seek reelection in 2026.

Early life and education

[edit]

Reynolds was born Kimberly Kay Strawn in 1959 in St. Charles, Iowa. She graduated from high school at the Interstate 35 Community School District in 1977.[1]

Reynolds attended Northwest Missouri State University, taking classes in business, consumer sciences and clothing sales and design, without earning a degree. She later took classes at Southeastern Community College in the late 1980s, and then accounting classes at Southwestern Community College between 1992 and 1995.[2]

In 2012, Reynolds began taking classes in the bachelor of public administration program at Upper Iowa University.[3]

In December 2016, shortly before Reynolds became governor, Iowa State University awarded her a Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree with three concentrations: political science, business management, and communications.[4][5]

Early political career

[edit]
Reynolds during her time in the Iowa Senate

Reynolds was elected Clarke County treasurer in 1994 and served four terms.[6] While she was treasurer she was selected to join the American Council of Young Political Leaders on a trip to Taipei, Taiwan.[7]

On November 4, 2008, Reynolds was elected to represent the 48th district in the Iowa Senate, defeating Democratic nominee Ruth Smith and independent candidate Rodney Schmidt.[8] In 2010, Reynolds endorsed a ban on same-sex marriage in Iowa.[9]

Lieutenant governor of Iowa (2011–2017)

[edit]

On June 25, 2010, Republican gubernatorial nominee Terry Branstad publicly selected Reynolds to be his running mate as the lieutenant governor candidate. The next day, she received the Republican nomination at the Republican state convention. On November 2, 2010, the Branstad/Reynolds ticket won the general election.[10][11] Reynolds resigned her Senate seat on November 12 before taking office as lieutenant governor.[12]

Reynolds was sworn in as lieutenant governor of Iowa on January 14, 2011.[13] She co-chaired the Governor's Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Advisory Council, Iowa Partnership for Economic Progress board, and the Military Children Education Coalition. She was also Branstad's representative on the board of the Iowa State Fair.[14]

Reynolds was elected chair of the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) in July 2015.[15]

Governor of Iowa (2017–present)

[edit]

On May 24, 2017, Reynolds became governor of Iowa upon the resignation of Branstad, who stepped down to become United States Ambassador to China. She is Iowa's first female governor.[16]

Elections

[edit]

2018

[edit]
Main article: 2018 Iowa gubernatorial election

In June 2017, Reynolds said she would seek a full term as governor of Iowa in the 2018 election.[17]

Reynolds's decision to have Representative Steve King co-chair her campaign stirred controversy, as King has a history of remarks that have been described as racist.[18] The Des Moines Register editorial board wrote, "Gov. Kim Reynolds has kept him on as her campaign co-chairman, while muttering increasingly thin-lipped denials that she agrees with his ideological extremism."[19] Reynolds had previously praised King, saying he was "a strong defender of freedom and our conservative values".[20] After Election Day, Reynolds criticized King and said that he needed to change his approach.[21]

Reynolds won the Republican nomination for governor and defeated Democrat Fred Hubbell and Libertarian Jake Porter in the general election, 50% to 48%.[22] She won nearly the entire state west of Des Moines.[23] In particular, she dominated the state's 4th congressional district, which she carried with 59% of the vote.[24] Reynolds is the first woman elected governor of Iowa.[25]

2022

[edit]
Main article: 2022 Iowa gubernatorial election

Reynolds was reelected to a second full term, defeating Democratic nominee Deidre DeJear, 58% to 40%.[26]

First term

[edit]

Reynolds's elevation to the governorship created a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor. Reports indicated that Reynolds's selection of a lieutenant governor could be challenged in the Iowa Supreme Court.[27] An opinion from the Attorney General of Iowa indicated that "an individual promoted from lieutenant governor to governor, as was Reynolds, [did] not have the authority to appoint a new lieutenant governor."[28] On May 25, 2017, Reynolds announced that Iowa Public Defender Adam Gregg would serve as acting lieutenant governor; to avoid litigation, the Reynolds administration stated that Gregg "[would] not hold the official position of lieutenant governor" and would not succeed Reynolds in the event of her inability to serve as governor.[28]

In 2018, Reynolds proposed cutting $10 million from Medicaid, which cares for eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults and people with disabilities.[29] In 2020, she proposed a one-cent increase in the state sales tax (bringing it to 8 cents), offset by a phased reduction in the state income tax, including a cut in the rate for the top bracket from 9% to 5.5%.[30] Reynolds's proposed restructuring of the state tax code would represent a further reduction in income taxes, going beyond 2018 legislation (passed by Republicans in the state legislature and signed into law by Reynolds) that was the largest income tax cut in Iowa history.[30] Her proposed sales-tax increase, however, was largely opposed by state legislators.[31]

In 2018, after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), Reynolds called same-sex marriage a "settled" issue and said that she did not consider herself obligated to follow the Iowa Republican Party platform provision against same-sex marriage.[32][33]

Reynolds has supported some of Donald Trump's positions.[34][35] She blocked two-thirds of requests from Democratic state Attorney General Tom Miller to join multi-state lawsuits challenging Trump administration policies or to submit amicus briefs in such suits; among the vetoed requests were proposals to challenge Trump policies related to immigration, asylum, abortion, birth control, environmental deregulation, gun policy, and LGBT rights.[36] Reynolds blocked Miller from including Iowa in a legal challenge to the Trump administration's repeal of the Clean Power Plan, an Obama-era regulation that restricted emissions of greenhouses gases (such as carbon) to counteract climate change.[37] In 2018, she acknowledged that Trump's trade and tariff policies were hurting American farmers (as agriculture exports declined due to tariffs imposed by other nations in retaliation for Trump's tariffs), but then claimed that farmers would ultimately benefit.[38][39][40] Reynolds made campaign appearances with Trump during the 2020 presidential campaign; in the November election, Trump carried Iowa, but lost nationally to Joe Biden, who won both the electoral vote and the national popular vote.[34] After Trump's loss, Reynolds did not denounce Trump's false claims of election fraud and refused to acknowledge Biden's victory until January 2021, when Congress formally counted the electoral votes.[34] She condemned the storming of the Capitol, which disrupted the counting of the electoral votes, but said many people believed the election was "not valid".[34]

In May 2018, Reynolds signed a bill to revamp Iowa's energy efficiency policies.[41] Also in May 2018, she signed a "fetal heartbeat bill", one of the nation's most restrictive abortion bans.[42][43] In January 2019, an Iowa state judge struck the law down as unconstitutional.[44] Reynolds chose not to appeal, saying she did not believe that "a losing legal battle" would advance the anti-abortion cause.[43] She has repeatedly called for an amendment to the state constitution to the effect that it does not protect abortion rights; such an amendment would overturn a 2019 Iowa Supreme Court decision concluding that the state constitution does protect the right to an abortion.[30] In 2021, Reynolds signed into law a bill that required women getting abortion to wait for 24 hours; an Iowa court struck the law down.[45]

Second term

[edit]

Reynolds began her first full term on January 18, 2019. In March 2019, she signed into law a bill requiring public universities to protect all speech on campus.[46][47] Through her judicial appointments, Reynolds shifted the Iowa Supreme Court to the right.[48] Her attorney, Sam Langholz, was appointed to a position in the attorney general's office to defend her policies in court.[49]

In December 2019, Reynolds launched an anti-vaping social media campaign in an effort to reduce vaping among Iowa youth.[50] In July 2020, she signed legislation that raised the minimum legal age to buy tobacco products, including vaping products, to 21.[51]

From 2017 to April 2020, Reynolds restored the voting rights of 543 felons, more than the roughly 200 restorations that her predecessor gave over almost seven years in office.[35] In August 2020, she signed an executive order permitting felons to vote in Iowa elections upon completing their sentence. Iowa previously imposed a lifetime ban on felons voting unless the governor personally restored their voting rights, the strictest law in the country.[35][52][53] Explaining her order, Reynolds referred to her experiences two decades earlier, when she twice pleaded guilty to DUI and subsequently recovered from alcoholism, an experience she cites as an important turning point in her life.[35]

Reynolds has a close relationship with the Iowa pork industry, and in particular with Iowa Select Farms, one of the country's largest pork producers. She donated an afternoon of her time as part of a 2019 charity auction to benefit the company's owners' foundation; the owners had contributed almost $300,000 to Reynolds's campaigns.[54] A Republican donor who is influential in the pork industry placed the winning bid. The director of the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board said that he did not believe the auction violated state law, but attorneys for two former Democratic governors of Iowa said that it created the appearance of impropriety and was an error in judgment.[54] In May and July 2020, Reynolds's administration arranged for COVID-19 testing to be done at Iowa Select's West Des Moines headquarters and at the Waverly facility partly owned by another campaign donor, at a time when those most vulnerable to the disease (healthcare workers and residents of nursing homes and other congregate-living facilities) were unable to timely get tested.[55] A separate pork production company that had donated $25,000 to Reynolds's campaign received a disproportionate benefit from a state pandemic business-aid program, receiving 72% of the program's initial rounds of disbursements.[56] After the testing came to light in January 2021, Polk County Supervisor Matt McCoy criticized Reynolds, and State Auditor Rob Sand began an investigation into whether special treatment was accorded to political donors over essential workers and vulnerable persons.[55] In 2023, Reynolds signed legislation to strip the state auditor's powers.[57]

In March 2021, Reynolds signed into law a bill that shortened the hours of polling places on Election Day, reduced the early voting period, and required that absentee ballots be received by ballot places before the end of Election Day.[58] She said the legislation would protect election integrity.[58] It was part of a wider effort by Republicans across the country to roll back voting access. Democrats won the 2020 presidential election, with Trump and many other Republicans making false claims of fraud.[58]

On April 2, 2021, Reynolds signed a bill allowing individuals to purchase and carry handguns without a permit, a policy known as constitutional carry.[59][60] Later that month, she signed legislation that would allow landlords to reject tenants who pay rent with Section 8 vouchers.[61]

COVID-19 pandemic

[edit]
Further information: COVID-19 pandemic in Iowa

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Reynolds opposed face mask mandates.[62] She signed a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency on March 9, 2020.[63] Also that month, she ordered closures of some recreational businesses and additional school closures[64][65] and ordered a halt to "non-essential" or elective surgeries, including surgical abortions,[66] but implemented no stay-at-home orders.[64] In April 2020, Iowa health officials advised Reynolds to enforce face coverings and not ease restrictions. In response, she took the stance that it was better to reopen the economy and encourage people to be responsible and wear masks.[67] Reynolds did not implement a requirement to wear masks in public places until after the November 2020 election, when she ordered the mandatory wearing of masks at large gatherings.[68][64] In June, recreational businesses such as bars and restaurants were permitted to fully reopen, which was followed by surges in coronavirus infections.[64] Reynolds said that the effectiveness of face masks in halting the virus's spread was not settled, although doctors and scientists nearly unanimously held that wearing masks in public substantially reduced viral transmission, and their use was recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Iowa's own Department of Health.[69] In the absence of any evidence of her contention, in July 2020, Reynolds said that Iowa localities' mask mandates were "not appropriate" and unlawful,[62] and she sought to block them, making Iowa one of the only U.S. states lacking any enforceable local or state mask mandates.[70] Iowa City's mayor rejected Reynolds's claim and issued a municipal order requiring the use of face coverings in indoor public places. He cited the state constitution's home-rule authority and a state statute that grants mayors powers during a time of "emergency or public danger".[70]

In April 2020, on the advice of native Iowan actor and entrepreneur Ashton Kutcher, Reynolds signed a $26 million, no-bid contract with Utah startup Nomi Health to develop a COVID-19 testing program called TestIowa.[71][72][73] She was eventually sued for refusing to release public records related to the program, which was plagued with errors.[74]

In July 2020, Reynolds said she would invalidate some school districts' plans to limit in-person classes to one day a week for most students, with online learning on other days, overriding local school districts and requiring students to spend at least half of their schooling in classrooms.[75] The state teachers' union, the Iowa State Education Association, criticized her move.[75][76] Iowa public school teachers began sending Reynolds their obituaries in protest.[77] Despite the outcry from teachers, who noted that social distancing was often impossible in school settings and that many teachers had not yet been vaccinated, in late January 2021 Reynolds signed a bill, passed by the state legislature along party lines, that required school districts to provide full-time in-person classes upon parents' request.[76]

In 2020, Reynolds had the lowest approval rating of any governor in the nation for her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, with an approval rating of 28% in July[78] and 26% in September.[79] COVID-19 in Iowa peaked in November 2020, but remained high into the next year. In late January 2021, the state had the nation's third-highest positivity rate[76] and third-lowest per capita vaccination rate.[80]

In September 2020, the Reynolds administration broke with the CDC's quarantine guidelines, revoking guidelines recommending that people exposed to the virus quarantine for 14 days, "if the infected person and close contacts were wearing masks properly".[81] In October 2020, she appeared at an indoor fundraiser for the Republican Party and a large rally in a hangar for President Trump; attendees did not wear masks or socially distance at the events.[62]

In November 2020, Reynolds issued a statewide mask mandate, ordering anyone over age 2 to wear a mask in indoor public spaces, a reversal of her previous claim that face masks are ineffective. When issuing the order, Reynolds said, "No one wants to do this. I don't want to do this", adding, "If Iowans don't buy into this, we'll lose. Businesses will close once again, more schools will be forced to go online, and our health care system will fail."[82]

In February 2021, Reynolds rolled back mask requirements in indoor public places and restrictions on indoor dining.[83] She did so without consulting with experts at the Iowa Department of Public Health.[84][85] The CDC had urged states not to loosen their COVID-19 public health measures.[84]

In March 2021, Reynolds voiced her opposition to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, saying it would "provide bigger checks to states who chose aggressive shutdowns and mismanaged their state budgets." In September 2021, she touted $100 million in funding for Iowa's water infrastructure that was funded by the bill.[86]

In May 2021, Reynolds signed into law a bill that prohibited businesses and local governments from requiring customers to have proof of vaccination.[87] She also signed into law a bill that prohibited school districts from requiring masks.[87]

Third term

[edit]

On March 1, 2022, Reynolds was selected to deliver the Republican response to President Biden's State of the Union address.[88] On March 3, 2022, she signed into law a bill that bans transgender girls and women from participating on designated female sports teams.[89] In January 2023, Reynolds signed the Students First Act, which made private school vouchers available in Iowa for the first time.[90] On March 22, 2023, she signed a law banning the prescription of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and gender-affirming surgery to minors, as well as a law prohibiting people from using school restrooms that do not align with their sex at birth.[91][92]

In November 2023, Reynolds endorsed Ron DeSantis for the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries, saying she did not believe Trump could win the general election.[93] She said she would endorse the Republican nominee and endorsed Trump in March 2024.[94] Around this time, a survey found that Reynolds had the lowest approval rating of any U.S. governor.[95]

In 2024, Reynolds signed a bill allowing state law enforcement to arrest undocumented migrants if they had previously been deported from or denied admission to the United States. The bill also enables state courts to issue deportation orders for such individuals.[96] On February 1, 2024, she introduced a bill defining "man" and "woman" based on reproductive anatomy and requiring that official identification documents list sex at birth.[97]

On February 28, 2025, Reynolds signed Senate File 418, which eliminated gender identity as a protected class from the Iowa Civil Rights Act.[98][99] This made Iowa the first U.S. state to remove gender identity as a protected class from a civil rights law.[100]

On April 11, 2025, Reynolds announced she will not seek reelection in 2026.[101]

Personal life

[edit]
Reynolds with husband Kevin Reynolds in 2010

Kim Reynolds married Kevin Reynolds in 1982. They have three children.[102] Kevin Reynolds was diagnosed with lung cancer in September 2023.[103]

Reynolds attends the Lutheran Church of Hope.[104]

Reynolds was twice charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, in 1999 and in August 2000.[35][105] In 2000, she was initially charged with Second Offense DUI, but was allowed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor.[35] In 2017, Reynolds said she had sought inpatient treatment for alcoholism after her second arrest and had been sober for nearly 17 years.[35][106]

Electoral history

[edit]
Iowa State Senate District 48 Republican Primary Election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kim Reynolds 2,487 61.77
Republican Jim Parker 1,539 38.23
Total votes 4,026 100.0
Iowa State Senate District 48 General Election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kim Reynolds 14,274 52.97
Democratic Ruth Smith 11,653 43.24
Independent Rodney Schmidt 1,021 3.79
Total votes 26,948 100.0
Iowa Gubernatorial Election, 2010[107]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Terry Branstad
Kim Reynolds 		592,494 52.8
Democratic Chet Culver (incumbent)
Patty Judge (incumbent) 		484,798 43.2
Iowa Party Jonathan Narcisse
Richard Marlar 		20,859 1.9
Libertarian Eric Cooper
Nick Weltha 		14,398 1.3
Independent Gregory Hughes
Robin Prior-Calef 		3,884 0.4
Socialist Workers David Rosenfeld
Helen Meyers 		2,757 0.3
Write-in 2823 0.3
Total votes 1,133,430 100.0
Iowa Gubernatorial Election, 2014[108]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Terry Branstad (incumbent)
Kim Reynolds (incumbent) 		666,032 58.99
Democratic Jack Hatch
Monica Vernon 		420,787 37.27
Libertarian Lee Deakins Hieb
Tim Watson 		20,321 1.80
New Independent Party Iowa Jim Hennager
Mary Margaret Krieg 		10,582 0.94
Iowa Party Jonathan R. Narcisse
Michael L. Richards 		10,240 0.91
Write-in 1095 0.09
Total votes 1,129,057 100.0
Iowa Gubernatorial Election, 2018[109]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kim Reynolds
Adam Gregg 		667,275 50.26
Democratic Fred Hubbell
Rita Hart 		630,986 47.53
Libertarian Jake Porter
Lynne Gentry 		21,426 1.61
Clear Water Party of Iowa Gary Siegwarth
Natalia Blaskovich 		7,463 0.56
Write-in 488 0.04
Total votes 1,327,638 100.0
Iowa Gubernatorial Election, 2022[110]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kim Reynolds (incumbent)
Adam Gregg (incumbent) 		709,198 58.04
Democratic Deidre DeJear
Eric Van Lacker 		482,950 39.53
Libertarian Rick Stewart
Marco Battaglia 		28,998 2.37
Write-in 718 0.06
Total votes 1,220,864 100.0

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Kim Reynolds

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Kimberly Kay Reynolds (born August 4, 1959) is an American Republican politician who has served as the 43rd of since May 2017, becoming the first woman elected to the office in 2018. She previously held the position of from 2011 to 2017 under , represented Iowa's 48th Senate district from 2009 to 2011, and served four terms as Clarke County treasurer from 1994 to 2008. As , Reynolds has advanced conservative fiscal and social policies, including historic tax reductions that lowered the rate and eliminated certain taxes, contributing to Iowa's budget surpluses and ranking among the top states for and job growth. She signed legislation establishing universal education savings accounts to expand options for all families, a measure recognized as a national model for . Reynolds also enacted restrictions on , prohibiting the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy following the detection of cardiac activity, aligning with her pro-life stance amid ongoing legal challenges. Her tenure has featured assertive responses to federal overreach, such as lawsuits against mandates and policies, and in the as chair in 2023.

Early life and education

Upbringing and family background

Kimberly Kay Reynolds was born on August 4, 1959, in St. Charles, , to Charles and Audrey Strawn, who were 19 years old at the time of her birth. Her father worked as a factory employee at John Deere's Ankeny Works while maintaining a separate farming operation; he declined to join the labor union, a choice Reynolds has described as shaping her emphasis on and personal responsibility. The family resided in Madison County, a where Reynolds grew up in a working-class household as a fifth-generation Iowan. Reynolds has two brothers, Doug and Troy, the latter being the youngest and residing in . As a teenager in the small community of St. Charles, she worked as a waitress at department store, reflecting the modest circumstances of her upbringing in southern .

Academic pursuits and early career

Reynolds graduated from Interstate 35 Community School in , in 1977. She subsequently attended but did not complete a degree there, later citing a lack of focus at the time. Reynolds also enrolled in classes at Southwest Community College without earning a degree. In 2012, while serving as , Reynolds resumed her postsecondary education, first at in West Des Moines and then transferring to , where she completed much of her coursework online. She earned a degree from 's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in December 2016, at age 57, with concentrations in , business management, and communications. Prior to entering elected office, Reynolds worked as an assistant to an independent pharmacist in . Following her move to in the early , she took a position as a motor vehicles clerk in the Clarke County Treasurer's Office.

Pre-gubernatorial political career

Local government service

Reynolds was first elected Clarke County treasurer in 1994, following the retirement of the previous officeholder after the midterm elections that year. She was reelected to three additional four-year terms, serving continuously until 2009. As treasurer for the rural southern county, with a population of approximately 9,000 residents during her tenure, Reynolds oversaw the collection and disbursement of taxes, managed county investments, and handled vehicle registrations and services. This position marked her entry into elected office after prior work as a deputy in the county 's auto department. Her service emphasized fiscal responsibility, aligning with her later emphasis on balanced budgets at higher levels of government.

Iowa Senate tenure

Kim Reynolds was elected to the Iowa State Senate in the November 4, 2008, , representing 12, a rural southern district spanning seven counties including Clarke County, where she had previously served as . She defeated the incumbent Democrat by approximately 10 percentage points in a year when Democrats gained seats statewide. Reynolds assumed office on January 12, 2009, as a Republican member of the minority party in the 82nd . Her tenure lasted through the 82nd and into the 83rd General Assemblies until her resignation effective January 14, 2011, following her election as in November 2010. During this period, Reynolds focused on fiscal and issues informed by her treasurer experience, including sponsoring or managing on county treasurer operations and relief funding, often collaborating across party lines. She opposed Senate File 137 in 2009, which aimed to guarantee equal pay for women by amending the , arguing it would impose undue regulatory burdens on small businesses. Reynolds also conducted interviews with heads of every state department to familiarize herself with agency functions and budgets, emphasizing a hands-on approach to oversight.

Lieutenant governorship

Kim Reynolds was elected lieutenant governor of on the Republican ticket with gubernatorial candidate in the November 2, 2010, general election, defeating Democrat Roxanne Conlin and independent Richard Quadir by a margin of 52.1% to 41.7%. She took office on January 14, 2011, as the 45th and the first woman to hold the position in state history. The Branstad-Reynolds ticket was reelected in the November 4, 2014, election against Democrat Jack Hatch by 52.1% to 41.7%, securing Reynolds a second term. Her tenure ended on May 24, , upon Branstad's resignation to serve as U.S. ambassador to , at which point she ascended to the governorship under the Iowa . In her role, Reynolds presided over the , casting tie-breaking votes when necessary, though no such instances were prominently recorded during her service. She also assisted the governor in various policy areas, with a primary focus on and rural vitality. Reynolds chaired the Iowa Partnership for Economic Progress, collaborating with the Iowa Economic Development Authority to advance initiatives aimed at job creation, , and growth in both urban and rural communities. Her efforts emphasized leveraging Iowa's agricultural strengths for broader economic gains, including support for biofuels and infrastructure improvements to attract investment. Additionally, Reynolds advocated for enhancements and addressed social issues like through state councils, drawing on her rural background to promote policies bridging small-town and urban needs. During periods when Branstad was out of state, such as his prior ambassadorship confirmation, she served as acting , handling executive duties including bill signings and state operations. Her lieutenant governorship positioned her as a key ally in Branstad's administration, contributing to fiscal reforms and regulatory reductions that laid groundwork for subsequent state policies.

Gubernatorial elections

2017 ascension and special circumstances

On May 24, 2017, Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds ascended to the governorship following the resignation of Governor , who stepped down to accept nomination as Ambassador to . Branstad, who had served a record 8,169 days across multiple terms, submitted his resignation to Paul Pate at 10:14 a.m., triggering the constitutional succession process under Article IV, Section 16 of the Constitution, which designates the lieutenant governor to assume the office upon vacancy. Reynolds was sworn in as the 43rd governor of Iowa at 10:30 a.m. in the State Capitol rotunda in Des Moines, marking her as the first woman to hold the position in state history. The transition occurred immediately after Branstad's own swearing-in as ambassador in Washington, D.C., with the events coordinated to ensure continuity in state leadership. In her inaugural remarks, Reynolds emphasized continuity with Branstad's agenda, pledging focus on tax reform, economic development, and fiscal responsibility while portraying herself as a "quintessential Iowan." The ascension carried unique procedural elements, as Branstad's resignation was timed precisely to align with his federal appointment, avoiding any interim governorship vacancy and leveraging Iowa's succession mechanism without requiring a special at that stage. Reynolds, elected lieutenant governor in 2010 and reelected in 2014 alongside Branstad, inherited the office mid-term, serving the remainder of Branstad's term until the 2018 . This smooth handover, amid Branstad's endorsement of Reynolds as capable leadership, underscored the Republican Party's dominance in Iowa at the time, with no reported legal challenges or disruptions to the process.

2018 election

Incumbent Republican Governor Kim Reynolds secured the Republican nomination unopposed in the June 5, 2018, . Her Democratic challenger, businessman Fred Hubbell, won a competitive primary against four opponents, including Cathy Glasson and Andrea McGuire, capturing 55.2 percent of the vote. The general election campaign highlighted contrasts on , healthcare access, and funding. Reynolds emphasized her record of tax reforms, including reductions in individual and corporate rates enacted in 2018, and initiatives to expand workforce training programs, positioning herself as a proponent of and business-friendly growth amid Iowa's low rate of 2.8 percent entering the election. Hubbell, a former utility executive, advocated for restoring expanded coverage under the , which Iowa had partially rejected, and increasing investments in services and rural , while criticizing Reynolds for cuts to and social programs. Debates between the candidates, held in October 2018, focused on these issues, with Reynolds defending her vetoes of Democratic-backed bills on gun rights and restrictions, while Hubbell stressed bipartisan appeals to suburban and rural voters. On November 6, 2018, Reynolds narrowly defeated Hubbell, receiving 667,981 votes (50.3 percent) to Hubbell's 639,712 votes (48.2 percent), with Libertarian Jake Porter garnering 1.3 percent and independent Gary Siegwarth 0.3 percent. The victory margin of approximately 2.1 percentage points reflected 's competitive political landscape, though Reynolds outperformed her predecessor in rural strongholds; she also became the first woman elected in state history. Voter turnout reached 64.3 percent of registered voters, driven by high engagement in a midterm cycle.

2022 election

Incumbent Republican Governor Kim Reynolds sought a second full term in the 2022 Iowa gubernatorial election and faced no opposition in the Republican primary on June 7, 2022. The Democratic primary also produced no contest, with businesswoman Deidre DeJear securing the unopposed; she became the first to win a major party's for in Iowa. Libertarian Rick Stewart similarly advanced without a primary challenge. in the primaries was low, consistent with uncontested races, as Iowa's closed primary system limited participation to party members. In the general election campaign, Reynolds emphasized her fiscal record, including multiple rounds of cuts that reduced the top rate from 8.53% to 5.7% and eliminated taxes on income, alongside metrics such as Iowa's rate dropping to 2.1% by mid-2022. She defended social policies like the fetal heartbeat law, which she reinforced with a six-week ban signed in July 2022 following the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, and initiatives including $7,500 savings accounts for all K-12 students. DeJear countered by prioritizing reductions, increased funding for public schools and teacher salaries, opposition to the restrictions, and protections for reproductive rights, while criticizing Reynolds' vetoes of broader relief bills. The candidates held a single debate on October 18, 2022, hosted by , where they clashed over for carbon pipelines, tax policy priorities, and access. Reynolds held a dominant edge, raising over $13 million compared to DeJear's approximately $2 million by late October, enabling extensive advertising on her policy achievements. On November 8, 2022, Reynolds won re-election decisively, receiving 664,903 votes (58.51%) to DeJear's 450,314 (39.56%) and Stewart's 21,976 (1.93%), with a total of 1,137,193 votes cast. The projected her victory minutes after polls closed at 9 p.m. ET, reflecting strong rural and suburban support amid national Republican gains in the midterms. This 18.95-point margin exceeded her 2018 win by over 7 points, marking the first reelection of a female governor in history.

First term as governor (2017–2023)

Fiscal and economic policies

During her first term, Reynolds prioritized , maintaining balanced budgets while achieving annual general fund spending growth of just 2.3 percent, significantly below national averages for state expenditures. This approach, coupled with sizable budget surpluses, enabled multiple rounds of tax relief without increasing state debt, reflecting a strategy of restraining government expansion to foster private-sector incentives. A of her economic agenda was comprehensive to reduce Iowa's tax burden and enhance competitiveness. In 2018, Reynolds signed legislation eliminating the state's , effective for deaths after January 1, 2021, and initiating reductions in individual rates by consolidating the previous nine-bracket system into fewer tiers with a top marginal rate lowered from 8.98 percent to 5.7 percent by fiscal year 2026. These measures, projected to save taxpayers over $1 billion cumulatively, aimed to retain high-income earners and attract businesses, though critics from progressive advocacy groups argued they disproportionately benefited the wealthy and risked future revenue shortfalls amid slower-than-expected growth. Reynolds also advanced workforce development as an economic pillar through the Future Ready Iowa initiative, launched via the 2018 Future Ready Iowa Act, which allocated $111 million in state incentives to community colleges and employers for expanding apprenticeships, credentials, and training programs targeting high-demand sectors like and IT. The program set a goal of 70 percent of Iowans aged 25-34 holding postsecondary education or training by 2025, emphasizing last-dollar scholarships and employer partnerships to address labor shortages without relying on expansive new entitlements. By 2023, enrollment in such programs had surged, contributing to 's labor force participation rate holding steady around 68 percent amid national declines, though overall state GDP growth ranked 37th nationally from 2017 to 2023, trailing peer Midwestern states due to factors including agricultural volatility and slower manufacturing rebound post-recession. Early efforts on property taxes laid groundwork for later reforms, including 2021 legislation capping annual levy increases for local governments at 3 percent while providing state aid offsets, intended to curb homeowner burdens averaging $3,200 annually without shifting costs to sales or income taxes. These policies aligned with initiatives, such as streamlining to ease business entry, positioning as a low-regulation state that attracted relocations in and , evidenced by net positive corporate migrations during her tenure.

Education reforms

Reynolds advanced school choice initiatives as a core component of her agenda, culminating in the enactment of the Students First Act on January 24, 2023. This legislation established statewide savings accounts (ESAs) accessible to all K-12 students, providing $7,598 per participating student annually to fund tuition, fees, textbooks, , and other qualified educational expenses. The program, phased in starting the 2023-2024 school year, allocates funds from the state's per-pupil supplemental aid without directly reducing public school budgets, as Iowa's overall K-12 increased by 2.5% to $3.8 billion for 2023. Prior efforts included repeated proposals for ESA expansion, which faced legislative resistance until the 2023 Republican supermajority enabled passage after years of debate. The reform aimed to address stagnant student outcomes, where national assessments showed the state ranking below average in reading and math proficiency despite above-average per-pupil spending of approximately $13,000 in 2022. By the 2023-2024 school year, over 16,000 students enrolled in the program, demonstrating initial uptake among families seeking alternatives to assigned public schools. Complementing choice measures, Reynolds signed Senate File 391 on May 26, 2023, which mandated evidence-based literacy instruction in public schools, required universal screening for reading deficiencies, and authorized interventions like extended learning programs for struggling students. This built on earlier priorities, such as her 2018 support for the Iowa Reading Research Center to develop phonics-based curricula, responding to data indicating 60% of Iowa third graders were not proficient in reading per 2022 state assessments. These policies emphasized measurable academic gains over non-core topics, with funding allocations prioritizing core instruction amid a $1 billion supplemental investment in the 2023 session.

Social issues legislation

Reynolds signed House File 756 into law on April 2, 2021, allowing Iowans aged 21 and older to carry s without a permit, a measure known as constitutional or permitless carry, effective July 1, 2021. The legislation also eliminated the requirement for background checks on private sales between non-licensed parties, aligning with 18 other states at the time that permitted such carry without government permission. On March 3, 2022, Reynolds enacted Senate File 2223, prohibiting male students who identify as female from competing on female-designated school sports teams, based on biological sex determined at birth. The requires verification of sex via or similar documentation for participation in sex-segregated athletics from through levels. This measure aimed to preserve competitive fairness in by preventing advantages from male physiology, such as greater strength and speed, which persist post-puberty even with . In March 2023, Reynolds signed Senate File 538, banning procedures—including surgeries, blockers, and cross-sex hormones—for minors under 18, with exceptions only for those already initiated before the law's effective date. The legislation criminalizes providers performing such interventions, subjecting them to revocation and civil liability, reflecting concerns over long-term health risks like , loss, and regret rates documented in European reviews that led countries like and to restrict these treatments for youth. Concurrently, she approved House File 634, mandating students use school bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding to their biological sex, further emphasizing sex-based distinctions in public facilities. Reynolds signed House File 732 on July 14, 2023, enacting a prohibition on abortions after detection of fetal cardiac activity, typically around six weeks of gestation when many women are unaware of pregnancy. The law includes exceptions for rape, incest (reported within 45 days), and life-threatening conditions but requires reporting for exceptions; it followed the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, reviving Iowa's prior trigger provisions while codifying stricter limits supported by ultrasound evidence of early heartbeat as a marker of life.

COVID-19 pandemic response

Policy decisions and timeline

On March 9, 2020, Kim Reynolds issued Iowa's initial Proclamation of Emergency in response to the emerging threat, activating state emergency operations despite no confirmed cases at the time. This was followed by a recommendation on March 15, 2020, for all K-12 schools to close for at least four weeks starting March 16, prioritizing continuous learning plans over in-person instruction. On March 17, 2020, Reynolds escalated measures by declaring a State of Emergency, which closed dine-in services at bars and restaurants, casinos, and fitness centers indefinitely; limited gatherings to 10 people; and mandated guidelines, while explicitly avoiding a statewide shelter-in-place order. Subsequent proclamations extended the emergency while gradually easing restrictions. On March 26, 2020, the disaster declaration was continued until April 16, with added closures for venues like theaters and pools. Schools were formally ordered closed through April 30 on April 2, 2020, later extended through the end of the academic year on April 17. By April 27, 2020, Reynolds allowed retail stores, manufacturing facilities, and construction to resume in 77 low-case counties effective May 1, with capacity limits and sanitation protocols, marking Iowa's phased reopening without uniform statewide lockdowns. Reopening accelerated in May 2020. Dentists, veterinarians, and elective surgeries restarted on May 4, followed by gyms, pools, and youth sports on May 11 in eligible counties. Restaurants and bars resumed limited indoor service statewide on May 28, capped at 50% capacity with distancing. The emergency was repeatedly extended—through May 27, June 25, July 24, and beyond—while further easing included movie theaters and zoos on May 22, and all remaining businesses by early June. In August 2020, amid case surges, bars closed temporarily in six high-risk counties on August 27. Later phases emphasized targeted interventions over broad restrictions. On November 16, 2020, new rules required bars and casinos to close from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and limited gatherings, without reinstating full closures. School reopenings proceeded locally from July 2020, with masks optional. The emergency declaration persisted through multiple 30-day renewals until its expiration on February 15, 2022, reflecting a consistent policy of relying on voluntary compliance, testing expansion via the Test Iowa initiative launched April 21, 2020, and localized controls rather than mandatory statewide shutdowns.

Economic and health outcomes

During the , Iowa's age-adjusted mortality rate stood at approximately 280 deaths per 100,000 cumulatively through 2023, slightly below the national average of around 300 per 100,000. Excess all-cause mortality in Iowa remained lower than the national figure in early pandemic stages, with no significant spike in total deaths observed in April 2020 despite rising cases, contrasting with broader U.S. trends where excess deaths surged 20% in mid-2020 partly attributable to non-COVID factors. Hospitalizations peaked in November 2020 amid a case surge following relaxed restrictions, but the state's healthcare system avoided prolonged overload, with total confirmed deaths reaching about 10,000 by late 2022 for a of 3.2 million. Economically, Iowa's unemployment rate peaked at 12.7% in April , below the national high of 14.8%, and the annual average for was 5.2% compared to the U.S. 8.1%. Real GDP contracted by 2.0% in , outperforming the national decline of 3.4%, aided by the resilience of Iowa's sector and early reopening of retail and social venues starting May 1, . Recovery accelerated in 2021, with nonfarm employment rebounding faster than in states with extended closures, and the unemployment rate falling to 3.8% by year-end versus the national 5.3%.
MetricIowaNational U.S.
2020 Unemployment Peak (April)12.7%14.8%
2020 Annual Unemployment Average5.2%8.1%
2020 Real GDP Change-2.0%-3.4%
Cumulative COVID-19 Deaths per 100,000 (approx. through 2023)280300

Criticisms and defenses

Critics, including state Auditor Rob Sand and Democratic lawmakers, accused Reynolds of misusing federal COVID-19 relief funds, such as allocating nearly $450,000 from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to cover state employee salaries deemed ineligible under federal guidelines, prompting a 2021 audit recommendation to return the amount. Reynolds disputed the auditor's characterization, arguing the expenditures supported essential pandemic operations, and her administration had previously returned $21 million in other repurposed funds after similar scrutiny. Additional criticism targeted her decision to forgo $90 million in federal funds for high school COVID testing in 2021, which opponents claimed exacerbated youth transmission risks. Public health advocates and media outlets, often aligned with stricter mitigation preferences, faulted Reynolds for prematurely lifting restrictions—such as ending the stay-at-home order on May 6, 2020, and resisting prolonged mask mandates—for contributing to elevated case rates, with Iowa recording twice the national average of new infections per capita by October 2020. Her 2021 prohibition on local mask requirements and school mandates drew federal scrutiny, including a Biden administration civil rights probe, and was linked by detractors to sustained hospitalizations and deaths exceeding those in neighboring states like Minnesota by over 99 per 100,000 residents as of early 2022. University of Iowa researchers warned in April 2020 that easing measures too soon risked a second wave, a concern echoed in analyses showing Iowa's per capita deaths 20.5% above Midwest neighbors through mid-2021. Defenders, including Reynolds and conservative commentators, highlighted her policies' emphasis on voluntary compliance and economic continuity, which facilitated Iowa's national recognition for rapid post-pandemic recovery by late 2020, as noted by her administration's Economic Recovery Advisory Board. Reynolds maintained that and personal responsibility—not mandates—offered the optimal defense, a stance reinforced by her signing of a 2021 bill preserving for workers fired over refusals while exempting healthcare providers from federal mandates via successful litigation. Empirically, Iowa's age-adjusted COVID death rate of 283 per 100,000 ranked 30th nationally by February 2022, below the U.S. average, countering narratives of policy failure amid comparable or superior outcomes to heavily restricted states when adjusted for demographics and rural factors. Early polls reflected divided but substantive approval, with 54% of Iowans endorsing her approach by May 2020, underscoring support for prioritizing liberties over coercive measures whose causal efficacy in reducing mortality remained debated in broader epidemiological reviews.

Second term as governor (2023–2027)

Continued policy advancements

In her second term, Reynolds continued advancing fiscal conservatism by prioritizing property tax reductions over further income tax cuts, announcing in May 2025 that legislative efforts in 2026 would target property taxes comprehensively, with "everything on the table" including potential overhauls of assessment and levy processes. This built on prior term tax reforms, aiming to alleviate burdens on homeowners and businesses amid rising local government spending. In February 2025, she established the Iowa Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Task Force via executive order, modeled after federal initiatives, to identify spending cuts and streamline operations; its October 2025 report proposed 45 recommendations, including studies of public employee benefits like IPERS pensions, incentives for local government resource sharing, and performance-based adjustments to reduce redundancies. Education reforms extended into the second term with proposals for funding adjustments in January , seeking greater flexibility in allocations to address shortages and individualized needs without increasing overall spending. By September 2025, Reynolds highlighted gains in Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress scores—proficiency in math rising from 72% to 76% and reading from 82% to 85% between 2023 and 2025—as evidence supporting state-led over federal dependency, advocating for block grants to replace categorical funding. In August 2025, Executive Order 14 expanded STEM initiatives by updating the advisory council's mandate to integrate , , , and math across K-12 curricula, emphasizing workforce alignment. The DOGE recommendations further included bonuses tied to student achievement metrics, aiming to incentivize outcomes over inputs. Legislative successes in 2025 encompassed restrictions on cell phones in classrooms to improve focus, alongside unemployment reductions for employers to bolster economic recovery. On social and regulatory fronts, Reynolds signed an in October 2025 mandating and SAVE systems for state agencies to verify work eligibility and , extending measures from her first term to curb unauthorized employment. Her January 2025 Condition of the State address outlined priorities like work requirements—enacted to promote self-sufficiency—and ongoing government reorganization to eliminate inefficiencies, crediting these for Iowa's surplus budget and low unemployment rate of 2.8% as of late 2024. These efforts aligned with a broader vision of aligning state functions with economic realities, though implementation faced resistance from local entities over .

2025 initiatives and announcements

In her January 14, 2025, Condition of the State address, Governor Reynolds outlined key priorities for the year, including reforms to streamline Iowa's system, expand access to quality healthcare through payment adjustments and loan repayment incentives for providers, and establish a state-level Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) modeled after federal efforts to reduce waste and enhance operational efficiency. These initiatives aimed to build on prior by targeting redundancies in state operations and improving service delivery without increasing taxes. She also emphasized doubling investments in programs and addressing workforce shortages in medical fields. Throughout the 2025 legislative session, Reynolds advanced several proposals, achieving partial successes such as unemployment insurance reductions for businesses and restrictions on cell phones in schools to improve focus, though broader work requirements faced resistance and did not fully pass. On August 17, she issued Executive Order 14, directing the expansion of STEM education programs across schools to prepare students for high-demand industries, including partnerships with entities for and . Earlier, on , an mandated reviews of policies at state colleges, requiring reports on incident responses and compliance with federal civil rights standards to foster safer campus environments. A major announcement came on October 21, when Reynolds released the final report from her DOGE Task Force, comprising 45 recommendations to cut government inefficiencies, such as consolidating local resource sharing, reforming the Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS) for sustainability, and adjusting teacher compensation formulas to prioritize performance over seniority. The task force, launched earlier in the year, proposed measures to address burdens without service cuts, with Reynolds stating all options remained under consideration for implementation. Additional economic initiatives included applauding 's selection for a BioMADE biomanufacturing facility on August 15 to boost advanced manufacturing jobs, and leading a September trade mission to to expand agricultural and exports.

Political positions and ideology

Fiscal conservatism and tax reforms

Reynolds has emphasized fiscal conservatism as a core principle of her governance, prioritizing balanced budgets, restrained spending, and regulatory reduction to foster . Under her administration, has maintained surplus budgets, with a reported $1.83 billion surplus announced in 2023, enabling sustained relief without increasing . This approach has positioned as having one of the nation's strongest fiscal positions, earning Reynolds recognition as the most fiscally conservative in a 2024 analysis. A landmark achievement was the 2022 tax reform bill, House File 2317, signed into law on March 1, 2022, which phased in a flat individual income tax rate of 3.9% by 2026, eliminated taxes on retirement income for approximately 295,000 taxpayers starting in tax year 2023, and provided property tax relief through increased state aid to local governments. This reform transformed Iowa's income tax system from a multi-bracket progressive structure with rates up to 8.53% to a simplified flat rate, projected to save Iowans over $24 billion in taxes over the subsequent decade. In 2024, Reynolds accelerated these cuts by signing Senate File 2384 on May 1, 2024, which advanced the implementation to 2025 and reduced the rate to 3.8%, representing a nearly $1 billion annual . Building on earlier efforts, including a 2018 proposal to modernize the tax code by expanding bases and adjusting taxes, these measures have elevated Iowa's state tax competitiveness, ranking it sixth-lowest for individual taxes nationally by 2025. Reynolds has extended fiscal reforms to property taxes, making their reduction a priority in 2025 legislative sessions following a Department of Government Efficiency report, with proposals to overhaul the system while preserving local funding mechanisms. These policies, grounded in conservative budgeting that caps spending growth, have been credited with driving Iowa's economic resilience, including low unemployment and business influx, though critics from left-leaning organizations argue they disproportionately benefit higher earners and strain public services.

Social conservatism

Reynolds has consistently advocated for pro-life policies, emphasizing the protection of unborn life as a core value. In July 2023, she signed into law House File 732, known as the Fetal Heartbeat Law, which prohibits abortions after cardiac activity is detected, typically around six weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for rape, incest, and life-threatening conditions. This legislation followed a June 2024 Iowa Supreme Court ruling affirming no constitutional right to abortion, which Reynolds praised as upholding voter priorities. By July 2025, state data indicated abortions in Iowa had declined nearly 60% since the law's enactment, a outcome Reynolds attributed to comprehensive pro-life measures including expanded maternal health support and parental leave. She has described Iowa as a "pro-life state," linking efforts to prevent unplanned pregnancies with broader abortion reduction strategies. On issues related to and sexuality, Reynolds has supported restrictions aligned with traditional views of biological sex and parental authority. In 2023, she signed Senate File 538, banning procedures such as surgeries and blockers for minors under 18, positioning the policy as safeguarding children from irreversible decisions. That year, she also enacted Senate File 496, limiting discussions of and in early elementary grades, and Senate File 391, restricting certain content deemed age-inappropriate. In February 2025, Reynolds approved legislation removing protections from the Iowa Civil Rights Act, making Iowa the first state to reverse such inclusions, a move framed by supporters as clarifying protections based on biological sex rather than self-identified . Reynolds has prioritized religious liberty as a foundational principle, signing the (Senate File 2095) on April 2, 2024, which requires the state to demonstrate a compelling interest before substantially burdening religious exercise, mirroring federal standards. She stated that religious is "endowed by our creator, not ," underscoring protections against infringement by state or local authorities. In June 2025, she signed a bill preserving "released time" programs, allowing students to leave school briefly for off-campus religious instruction with , defending it as upholding parental rights in . These actions reflect her alignment with social conservative emphases on faith-based exemptions and traditional moral frameworks in public policy.

Education and school choice

Reynolds attended following high school but did not earn a degree there. While serving as , she completed a degree from State University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in December 2016, with concentrations including and business management. As governor, Reynolds has prioritized school choice reforms to empower parental decision-making in education. In January 2023, she signed the Students First Act, creating a universal education savings account (ESA) program that allocates $7,598 per K-12 student annually for expenses such as private school tuition, homeschooling curricula, tutoring, or therapy, available to all Iowa families irrespective of income or prior public school attendance. The law phases in full access, initially prioritizing students from low-income households, rural areas, or those with disabilities, and is projected to support up to 42,000 private school students once fully implemented. Reynolds described the measure as advancing "education freedom" by treating public funds as portable to the options parents deem best for their children. Reynolds became the first U.S. governor to sign the American Federation for Children's Education Freedom Pledge in 2023, committing to broaden access to non-public schooling options. Her administration has defended the policy against claims of undercutting public schools, citing early data on rising proficiency scores in Iowa—such as improvements in third-grade reading—as evidence that competitive pressures and targeted reforms, including ESAs, enhance overall educational outcomes. Opponents, including public school advocates, contend the program subsidizes private institutions at public expense without proven academic gains for participants. In her 2024 Condition of the State address, Reynolds proposed integrating school choice expansions with literacy mandates, such as evidence-based reading instruction and teacher competency testing, to address persistent achievement gaps.

Controversies and debates

Abortion restrictions

In May 2018, Governor Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 359 into law, prohibiting abortions once cardiac activity is detected in a fetus, typically around six weeks of pregnancy, with limited exceptions for cases of rape or incest reported within 45 days and substantial risk to the mother's life. The legislation faced immediate legal challenges from abortion rights groups, resulting in a federal judge blocking its enforcement in January 2019 on grounds that it violated women's due process rights under the U.S. Constitution. Reynolds defended the measure as protecting the "right to life," aligning with her administration's emphasis on fetal viability thresholds informed by medical detection capabilities. Following the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of in Dobbs v. (2022), Iowa's Republican-controlled legislature revisited abortion limits. In July 2023, after the ruled 4-3 in of the Heartland v. Reynolds that there is no fundamental right to under the state constitution, Reynolds called a to enact House File 732. She signed the bill into on July 14, 2023, banning abortions after detection of fetal cardiac activity (around six weeks), with exceptions for or (requiring report within 45 days, up to 10 weeks ) and life-threatening medical emergencies, but no exception for fatal fetal anomalies. The law mandated reporting of cardiac activity detection and imposed civil and professional penalties on providers for violations. A district court temporarily enjoined the 2023 law hours after its signing, citing ongoing litigation over its constitutionality. On June 28, 2024, the Iowa Supreme Court again upheld the ban in a 4-3 decision, affirming that it advances the state's interest in protecting potential life without infringing on privacy rights, allowing enforcement to begin July 29, 2024. Dissenting justices argued the ruling undermined bodily autonomy precedents. By July 2025, one year after implementation, state data indicated abortions in Iowa had declined approximately 35% from 2023 to 2024, with Reynolds citing a nearly 60% reduction overall and attributing it to the law's success in fostering a "culture of life," alongside support for adoption and in vitro fertilization policies. Critics, including medical professionals, contended the restrictions complicate early diagnoses and force patients to seek care out-of-state, potentially straining healthcare resources without reducing unintended pregnancies based on national trends post-Dobbs. Reynolds has maintained that empirical evidence of cardiac activity at six weeks justifies the threshold, prioritizing measurable biological markers over later viability standards.

Education system changes

In 2023, Governor Kim Reynolds signed the Students First Act into law on January 24, establishing universal Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) for Iowa K-12 students, allowing state funds—up to $7,598 per student in the first year—to cover private school tuition, textbooks, tutoring, and other qualified expenses at nonpublic institutions. By July 2024, over 30,000 students had been approved for ESAs, with program costs projected to reach $314 million in fiscal year 2026, prompting debates over whether the initiative enhances parental choice or diverts resources from public schools, which saw stagnant per-pupil funding amid rising enrollment in private options. Reynolds also enacted Senate File 496 on May 26, 2023, a comprehensive omnibus bill that prohibited schools from providing or materials depicting sex acts and barred instruction on or in grades K-6, aiming to prioritize age-appropriate content and parental oversight. The measure led to the removal of hundreds of titles from libraries, including works with explicit descriptions, which Reynolds defended as protecting children from "obscene materials" rather than broad . Critics, including the ACLU of Iowa, challenged it as a vague " ban" infringing on free speech and LGBTQ+ representation, resulting in a court in December 2023 that was overturned by the Eighth of Appeals in August 2024, reinstating the provisions pending further litigation. Further reforms targeted Area Education Agencies (AEAs), with Reynolds signing HF 2558 on March 27, 2024, to restructure their operations by capping administrative spending at 10% of budgets, redirecting funds toward direct services, and tying allocations to contracts for greater accountability. The changes, part of a $94 million including minimum increases to $50,000 by 2025-26, were praised by Reynolds for efficiency gains but opposed by educators and Democrats as disruptive to proven support systems for students with disabilities. These policies collectively boosted Iowa's pay rankings while sparking union-led protests and lawsuits, reflecting tensions between expanded mechanisms and traditional public models.

Government efficiency efforts

In 2023, Reynolds implemented a realignment initiative that consolidated cabinet departments, eliminated operational silos, and streamlined services, resulting in savings of $217 million for taxpayers within the first 18 months—exceeding the projected four-year total. This effort built on Executive Order 10, which directed a comprehensive review of Iowa's administrative rules to reduce regulatory burdens and enhance . To further advance these goals, Reynolds signed an on February 10, 2025, establishing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Task Force, comprising business leaders tasked with identifying opportunities to cut spending and modernize government operations at state and local levels. The task force's final 136-page report, released on October 21, 2025, outlined 45 recommendations, including improved data sharing among agencies, statewide technology consolidation, merit-based teacher compensation adjustments, reforms to the Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS), and enhanced resource sharing among local governments to reduce redundancies. Reynolds emphasized that these measures prioritize fiscal responsibility and service delivery, with plans to integrate key proposals—such as reforms tied to local gains—into the 2026 . officials have raised concerns that some recommendations, including , could strain funding for essential operations without adequate state support. Prior to DOGE, Reynolds testified before the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability on February 5, 2025, highlighting Iowa's realignment as a model for federal , crediting it with both cost reductions and improved agency performance.

Personal life

Family and relationships

Kim Reynolds has been married to Kevin Reynolds since April 3, 1982. The couple met in Clarke County, Iowa, where both resided, and Kevin has served as Iowa's First Gentleman since Kim's ascension to the governorship in 2017. They have three daughters, all married with sons-in-law, and eleven grandchildren as of recent updates. Reynolds has publicly emphasized the importance of family time, including with her grandchildren, in her personal life. Kevin Reynolds, born in , grew up on a 500-acre in southern Warren and holds a in from . His career spanned 36 years in and , including roles with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, from which he retired in March 2017. As First Gentleman, he has focused on promoting natural resource conservation, soil health, water quality, and the preservation of , the governor's residence. In September 2023, Kevin Reynolds was diagnosed with , prompting public statements from the governor's office about his treatment plans while underscoring family support.

Health challenges and resilience

In September 2023, Kevin Reynolds, husband of Governor Kim Reynolds, was diagnosed with stage IV non-small cell following severe lower that initially limited his mobility to less than 10 minutes of standing or walking. The diagnosis prompted immediate treatment, including , which showed positive response; by August 2024, nearly a year later, Kevin Reynolds was reported to be in remission and continuing to respond well to ongoing care. Governor Reynolds exhibited resilience amid this family by maintaining her full schedule of gubernatorial responsibilities, including legislative sessions, public addresses, and initiatives, while providing personal support to her , such as attending appointments. She publicly described the ordeal as a testament to their good fortune and the effectiveness of intervention, emphasizing a focus on recovery and normalcy. The experience influenced Reynolds' April 2025 announcement that she would not seek re-election in 2026 after completing her current term, prioritizing additional family time as her husband's health stabilized but required continued management. This decision underscored her capacity to adapt leadership priorities to personal circumstances without interruption to state governance.

Electoral history

Reynolds served as Lieutenant Governor of Iowa from 2011 to 2017, elected on a joint ticket with Governor Terry Branstad in 2010 and re-elected in 2014. She ascended to the governorship on May 24, 2017, following Branstad's resignation to become U.S. Ambassador to China. Reynolds won election to a full term as governor in 2018 and re-election in 2022.

2010 Iowa gubernatorial election

In the 2010 general election held on November 2, the Republican ticket of and Kim Reynolds defeated the Democratic incumbent ticket of and Patty Judge.
CandidatePartyVotesPercentage
/ Kim ReynoldsRepublican590,96652.9%
/ Patty JudgeDemocratic477,28142.8%
Others-35,0003.1%
Total1,118,247100%

2014 Iowa gubernatorial election

Branstad and Reynolds were re-elected on November 4, 2014, defeating the Democratic ticket of Jack Hatch and Mary Lou Weinand.
CandidatePartyVotesPercentage
/ Kim ReynoldsRepublican649,48152.1%
Jack Hatch / Mary Lou WeinandDemocratic520,46041.7%
Others-74,0005.9%
Total1,248,942100%

2018 Iowa gubernatorial election

Reynolds, running for a full term with , narrowly won on November 6, 2018, against Democratic nominee Fred Hubbell and , as well as Libertarian candidates Jake Porter and Lynne Gentry.
CandidatePartyVotesPercentage
Kim Reynolds / Republican667,99550.3%
Fred Hubbell / Democratic639,71248.2%
Jake Porter / Lynne GentryLibertarian20,8591.6%
Total1,328,566100%

2022 Iowa gubernatorial election

Reynolds and Gregg secured re-election on November 8, 2022, defeating Democratic nominee Deidre DeJear and running mate .
CandidatePartyVotesPercentage
Kim Reynolds / Republican715,00854.4%
Deidre DeJear / Democratic570,52443.5%
Others-22,0001.7%
Total1,313,532100%

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  31. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2018/06/11/2018-iowa-governors-race-fred-hubbell-kim-reynolds-mental-health-care-medicaid-abortion-tax-cuts/690068002/
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  33. https://www.kcci.com/article/commitment-2018-fred-hubbell-takes-on-the-issues/24532468
  34. https://www.bleedingheartland.com/2018/10/10/ia-gov-five-takeaways-from-the-first-hubbell-reynolds-debate/
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  42. https://www.iowapublicradio.org/political-news/2022-10-18/reynolds-dejear-debate-for-first-and-only-time-in-2022-campaign-for-iowa-governor
  43. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/10/20/iowa-governor-election-2022-kim-reynolds-cash-lead-over-deidre-dejear/69572879007/
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  46. https://www.kcci.com/article/kim-reynolds-iowa-governor-2022-election/41682892
  47. https://taxrelief.org/governor-reynolds-achievements-and-tax-reforms-a-national-model-for-growth/
  48. https://americansforprosperity.org/press-release/afp-iowa-celebrates-gov-reynolds-as-top-fiscal-governor/
  49. https://governor.iowa.gov/cutting-taxes-iowans
  50. https://www.commongoodiowa.org/policy-areas/state-budget--taxes/fact-sheet-why-slashing-the-income-tax-is-wrong-for-iowa
  51. https://governor.iowa.gov/vision-iowa-0/preparing-iowas-next-gen-workforce
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  53. https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/01/26/future-ready-iowa-reaches-workforce-education-goal-two-years-ahead-of-schedule/
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  57. https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2023-01-24/gov-reynolds-signs-students-first-act-law
  58. https://educate.iowa.gov/pk-12/educational-choice/education-savings-accounts
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  65. https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2021/04/02/reynolds-signs-permitless-carry-firearm-industry-immunity-bills-into-law/
  66. https://www.kcci.com/article/iowa-gov-kim-reynolds-signs-controversial-iowa-house-file-756-gun-bill-into-law/36016213
  67. https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/22/politics/iowa-gender-affirming-care-ban
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  69. https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2023-07-14/gov-reynolds-signs-heartbeat-bill-law
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  73. https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2020-03-17/gov-reynolds-issues-state-public-health-disaster-emergency
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  75. https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2020-04-17/iowa-schools-extend-closures-through-end-school-year
  76. https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2020-04-27/gov-reynolds-signs-new-proclamation-continuing-state-public-health-emergency-declaration
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  80. https://www.wowt.com/2020/11/16/iowa-gov-kim-reynolds-to-give-covid-19-update/
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  87. https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/09/21/iowa-covid-deaths-to-date-this-year-exceed-2021/
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  90. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1036208/iowa-real-gdp-growth/
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  107. https://www.thegazette.com/government-politics/poll-finds-iowans-approve-of-kim-reynolds-coronavirus-response/
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  110. https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/05/23/gov-kim-reynolds-says-property-taxes-not-income-taxes-will-be-focus-in-2026/
  111. https://www.iowapublicradio.org/state-government-news/2025-02-11/governor-kim-reynolds-iowa-doge-task-force
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  113. https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/01/09/iowa-gov-kim-reynolds-proposes-special-education-changes-income-tax-cuts/
  114. https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/24/gov-kim-reynolds-says-improved-testing-scores-prove-states-can-take-on-federal-education-funding/
  115. https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2025-08-17/gov-reynolds-issues-executive-order-14-enhance-and-expand-stem-education-all-iowa-students
  116. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2025/05/15/medicaid-unemployment-cell-phones-see-kim-reynolds-2025-wins-and-losses-iowa-legislature/83513472007/
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  121. https://policycentermmh.org/governor-kim-reynolds-and-the-perigee-fund-honored-as-2025-maternal-mental-health-heroes/
  122. https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/briefs/gov-kim-reynolds-signs-executive-order-directing-colleges-to-review-policies-on-antisemitism/
  123. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/21/kim-reynolds-iowa-doge-report/86438141007/
  124. https://opportunityiowa.gov/press-release/2025-08-15/governor-reynolds-applauds-selection-iowa-biomade-biomanufacturing-facility
  125. https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/09/gov-kim-reynolds-iowa-delegation-return-to-india-on-2025-trade-mission/
  126. https://taxrelief.org/governor-reynolds-announces-tax-cut-and-1-83-billion-budget-surplus/
  127. https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2025-10-16/gov-reynolds-issues-statement-following-october-rec-meeting
  128. https://itrfoundation.org/kim-reynolds-tops-catos-2024-list-as-americas-most-fiscally-conservative-governor/
  129. https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2022-03-01/gov-reynolds-signs-historic-tax-reform-bill-law
  130. https://apnews.com/article/state-of-the-union-address-business-iowa-kim-reynolds-des-moines-45161d72ab4d0e62f9bb81aa7b07a8cd
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  133. https://alec.org/article/tax-reform-starts-with-spending-government-reform-its-not-just-the-taxes-its-the-spending-jonathan-williams-in-the-hill/
  134. https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2024-05-01/gov-reynolds-signs-tax-cuts-and-several-other-bills-law
  135. https://www.iowapublicradio.org/state-government-news/2024-05-02/iowa-governor-flat-income-tax-cuts
  136. https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/05/01/gov-kim-reynolds-signs-law-lowering-individual-income-tax-rate-to-3-8-in-2025/
  137. https://taxnews.ey.com/news/2018-0399-iowa-tax-reform-proposal-introduced-includes-sales-tax-nexus-expansion-taxation-of-digital-products-individual-income-tax-changes
  138. https://itrfoundation.org/governor-kim-reynolds-sets-the-gold-standard-for-state-fiscal-policy/
  139. https://www.kcci.com/article/iowa-doge-report-property-tax/69125997
  140. https://www.cbpp.org/blog/iowas-big-tax-cut-for-the-rich-already-straining-state-services
  141. https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2024-06-28/gov-reynolds-republican-leaders-release-statements-iowa-supreme-court-fetal-heartbeat-ruling
  142. https://cbs2iowa.com/news/local/iowa-governor-kim-reynolds-marks-one-year-since-fetal-heartbeat-law-enactment-abortion-comprehensively-pro-life-medicaid-maternal-health-rural-areas-pregnancies-pregnant-parental-leave-s
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  144. https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/icymi-iowa-governor-kim-reynolds-signs-gender-affirming-care-ban-into-law
  145. https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/icymi-iowa-governor-kim-reynolds-signs-dont-say-lgbtq-and-sex-ed-censorship-bills-into-law
  146. https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/02/28/gov-kim-reynolds-signs-bill-repealing-civil-rights-protections-for-gender-identity/
  147. https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2024-04-02/gov-reynolds-signs-religious-freedom-restoration-act-law
  148. https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2024-02-29/gov-reynolds-statement-iowa-house-passing-religious-freedom-restoration-act
  149. https://adfmedia.org/press-release/ia-governor-signs-bill-protecting-student-released-time-for-religious-instruction/
  150. https://cbs2iowa.com/news/local/lt-gov-kim-reynolds-set-to-graduate-from-isu
  151. https://www.federationforchildren.org/iowa-legislature-passes-historic-school-choice-bill/
  152. https://www.heritage.org/education/commentary/iowa-leads-the-way-education-freedom
  153. https://iowastartingline.com/2024/05/01/guest-post-reynolds-voucher-program-is-about-destroying-public-education/
  154. https://excelinedinaction.org/2024/01/11/iowa-gov-kim-reynolds-shares-bold-2024-education-plan-in-condition-of-the-state-address/
  155. https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/05/608738116/iowa-bans-most-abortions-as-governor-signs-heartbeat-bill
  156. https://www.iowapublicradio.org/ipr-news/2024-06-28/iowa-supreme-court-rules-6-week-abortion-ban-can-go-into-effect
  157. https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=90&ba=HF%20732
  158. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/iowa-law-banning-most-abortions-after-about-6-weeks-takes-effect-as-judge-weighs-whether-to-block-it
  159. https://statecourtreport.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/iowa-supreme-court-allows-six-week-abortion-ban-take-effect
  160. https://www.governing.com/policy/iowa-supreme-court-allows-6-week-abortion-ban-to-take-effect
  161. https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2025-07-29/gov-reynolds-releases-statement-first-anniversary-fetal-heartbeat-law
  162. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2025/07/29/iowa-abortion-ban-impact/85409067007/
  163. https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/07/29/one-year-since-abortion-law-took-effect-advocates-say-iowans-seeking-care-face-new-barriers/
  164. https://www.iowapublicradio.org/health/2025-07-28/iowa-heartbeat-6-week-ban-abortion-law-anniversary
  165. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2024/07/12/kim-reynolds-over-30000-kids-will-get-education-savings-accounts-to-pay-private-school-costs/74383525007/
  166. https://www.facebook.com/KimReynoldsIA/posts/1228407251985430/
  167. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2023/05/26/iowa-governor-kim-reynolds-signs-law-to-ban-school-books-with-sex-acts-gender-identity-lgbtq/70147865007/
  168. https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGE/90/attachments/SF496.html
  169. https://www.aclu-ia.org/timeline-iowas-banned-booksdont-say-lgbtq-law/
  170. https://www.iowapublicradio.org/education/2024-08-09/federal-appeals-court-rules-iowas-book-ban-law-can-take-effect
  171. https://cbs2iowa.com/news/local/controversial-plan-to-reform-iowas-area-education-agencies-signed-into-law
  172. https://www.thegazette.com/state-government/gov-reynolds-pitches-changes-to-controversial-aea-overhaul-bill/
  173. https://iowastartingline.com/2024/03/18/iowans-like-aeas-but-republicans-are-ramming-through-controversial-reforms-anyway/
  174. https://governor.iowa.gov/vision-iowa-0/government-efficiency
  175. https://governor.iowa.gov/vision-iowa-0/holding-government-accountable-iowans
  176. https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/02/10/gov-kim-reynolds-signs-executive-order-launching-state-doge-task-force/
  177. https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2025-10-21/governor-reynolds-releases-final-report-iowa-doge-task-force
  178. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/23/iowa-doge-recommendations-kim-reynolds/86834365007/
  179. https://www.iowapublicradio.org/state-government-news/2025-10-21/iowa-doge-task-force-report-governor-kim-reynolds
  180. https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/02/05/gov-kim-reynolds-testifies-at-u-s-house-government-efficiency-hearing/
  181. https://governor.iowa.gov/learn-more-about-governor/meet-first-gentleman-kevin-reynolds
  182. https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/iowa-gov-kim-reynolds-husband-diagnosed-with-lung-cancer/
  183. https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2023-09-21/governor-reynolds-statement-first-gentleman
  184. https://www.ktiv.com/2024/08/20/very-lucky-governor-reynolds-says-about-husbands-recovery/
  185. https://www.kcci.com/article/kevin-reynolds-doing-well-nearly-a-year-after-cancer-diagnosis/61930967
  186. https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/briefs/iowa-gov-kim-reynolds-husband-diagnosed-with-lung-cancer/
  187. https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/quick-facts-about-gov-kim-reynolds-why-shes-stepping-down-net-worth-husbands-cancer-battle-1732656
  188. https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/2010/gensummaryorr.pdf
  189. https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/2014/general/govcanvsummary.pdf
  190. https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/2018/general/govcanvsummary.pdf
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