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Terry Branstad
Terry Edward Branstad (born November 17, 1946) is a retired American politician and U.S. Army veteran who served as the 39th and 42nd governor of Iowa (1983–1999; 2011–2017) and the United States ambassador to China (2017–2020). A member of the Republican Party, Branstad is the longest-serving governor in United States history, with a total gubernatorial tenure of 22 years, 4 months, and 13 days.
Branstad served three terms in the Iowa House of Representatives and one term as the 40th lieutenant governor of Iowa before he was elected governor in 1982. At age 36, he was the youngest governor in Iowa history upon taking office. After 16 years as governor, he served as president of Des Moines University, a private medical osteopathic school, from 2003 to 2009. In 2010, Branstad returned to Iowa politics, running for governor again and defeating Democratic incumbent Chet Culver to become the state's 42nd governor.
In December 2016, president-elect Donald Trump nominated Branstad to serve as the United States Ambassador to China. Branstad resigned as governor of Iowa on May 24, 2017, and was sworn in as the United States ambassador to China on July 12, 2017. In 2020, Branstad resigned from his post to work on former President Trump's 2020 reelection campaign. Branstad retired from public life in 2025.
Branstad was born in Leland, Iowa. His father was Edward Arnold Branstad, a farmer; his mother was Rita (née Garland). Branstad's mother was Jewish, and his father was a Norwegian American Lutheran. Branstad was raised Lutheran and later converted to Catholicism. He is a second cousin of Democrat Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Branstad received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Iowa in 1969 and a Juris Doctor from Drake University Law School in 1974. He was drafted after college and served in the United States Army from 1969 to 1971 as a military policeman in the 503rd Military Police Battalion at Fort Bragg. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service; he once recalled that he arrested actress Jane Fonda for coming onto the post at Arlington National Cemetery, where she was planning to attend an antiwar protest.
Branstad served three terms in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1973 to 1979 and was the Lieutenant Governor of Iowa from 1979 to 1983, the year he was first elected governor.
When he took office as governor at age 36, Branstad became the youngest chief executive in Iowa's history. Reelected in 1986, 1990, and 1994, he left office as Iowa's longest-serving governor. He served as Chairman of the National Governors Association in 1989–1990, and also was Chair of the Midwestern Governors Association. In 1997 he chaired the Education Commission of the States, the Republican Governors Association, and the Governors' Ethanol Coalition.
In 1983 Branstad vetoed a bill to establish a state lottery.
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Terry Branstad
Terry Edward Branstad (born November 17, 1946) is a retired American politician and U.S. Army veteran who served as the 39th and 42nd governor of Iowa (1983–1999; 2011–2017) and the United States ambassador to China (2017–2020). A member of the Republican Party, Branstad is the longest-serving governor in United States history, with a total gubernatorial tenure of 22 years, 4 months, and 13 days.
Branstad served three terms in the Iowa House of Representatives and one term as the 40th lieutenant governor of Iowa before he was elected governor in 1982. At age 36, he was the youngest governor in Iowa history upon taking office. After 16 years as governor, he served as president of Des Moines University, a private medical osteopathic school, from 2003 to 2009. In 2010, Branstad returned to Iowa politics, running for governor again and defeating Democratic incumbent Chet Culver to become the state's 42nd governor.
In December 2016, president-elect Donald Trump nominated Branstad to serve as the United States Ambassador to China. Branstad resigned as governor of Iowa on May 24, 2017, and was sworn in as the United States ambassador to China on July 12, 2017. In 2020, Branstad resigned from his post to work on former President Trump's 2020 reelection campaign. Branstad retired from public life in 2025.
Branstad was born in Leland, Iowa. His father was Edward Arnold Branstad, a farmer; his mother was Rita (née Garland). Branstad's mother was Jewish, and his father was a Norwegian American Lutheran. Branstad was raised Lutheran and later converted to Catholicism. He is a second cousin of Democrat Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Branstad received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Iowa in 1969 and a Juris Doctor from Drake University Law School in 1974. He was drafted after college and served in the United States Army from 1969 to 1971 as a military policeman in the 503rd Military Police Battalion at Fort Bragg. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service; he once recalled that he arrested actress Jane Fonda for coming onto the post at Arlington National Cemetery, where she was planning to attend an antiwar protest.
Branstad served three terms in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1973 to 1979 and was the Lieutenant Governor of Iowa from 1979 to 1983, the year he was first elected governor.
When he took office as governor at age 36, Branstad became the youngest chief executive in Iowa's history. Reelected in 1986, 1990, and 1994, he left office as Iowa's longest-serving governor. He served as Chairman of the National Governors Association in 1989–1990, and also was Chair of the Midwestern Governors Association. In 1997 he chaired the Education Commission of the States, the Republican Governors Association, and the Governors' Ethanol Coalition.
In 1983 Branstad vetoed a bill to establish a state lottery.