Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds Announces She Will Not Seek Reelection In 2026

Iowa's governor for nearly 10 years has announced she will not run again.

According to an X (formerly Twitter) post from Governor Kim Reynolds, she will not seek reelection in 2026.

WQAD reports she first took office in 2017 when then-Governor Terry Branstad stepped down from the position to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to China. Before she was Iowa's governor, she was the Lieutenant Governor. Prior to that, she was part of the state senate, and she was the Clarke County Treasurer.

Now, she plans to focus her energy on her family. She says:

Through the years, my parents and my husband Kevin, our daughters, and our grandchildren have stood by my side, supporting me through every challenge and every victory. Now, it’s time for me to be there for them. To help them through the next stage of life. To watch every track meet and basketball game; to see them grow before they’re all grown.

Governor Reynolds still has a year and a half left in her term. She said she plans to finish her term strong and that the Republican Party "will remain in great hands".

You can watch her full announcement video below:

As far as the next general election goes, it will be on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026 to decide Iowa's next governor.

Governor Reynolds said the decision to not seek reelection next year comes "after a lot of thought, prayer, and conversations" with her family. It would have been her third term as governor, should she have been reelected.