Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) announced on social media Friday she won't seek reelection in 2026, leaving a wide-open gubernatorial race in the state even though she could have run for a third term.
"This wasn't an easy decision, because I love the state and I love serving you, but when my term ends, I will have had the privilege of serving as your governor for almost 10 years, and before that as lieutenant governor and state senator," she said in her announcement. "This public service has been an incredible journey — one that I wouldn't trade for anything, but as Iowans know, family is everything."
"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, and now it's time for me to be there for them," she added.
Reynolds became the state's first female governor in May 2017. She previously was lieutenant governor and was elevated when President Trump named then-Gov. Terry Branstad (R) to become ambassador to China.
Reynolds went on to win the state's gubernatorial races in 2018 and in 2022, when she trounced her Democratic opponent 58 percent to 39 percent.
But a Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll last fall found that Reynolds's job approval rating had dropped to 45 percent — the lowest since she first became governor, and about half of the voters surveyed said they disapproved of her job performance.
Conservative talk radio host and Iowa native Steve Deace responded online that he was "stunned and disappointed" by Reynolds's announcement.
"This is a critical juncture for my home state. We cannot lose the substantial ground we've taken under Kim's leadership," he wrote on the social media platform X. "It is vital that the Republicans in Iowa nominate someone who believes in more than mere managerialism, knows what time it is, and has a track record for fighting the good fight."
Deace added he would be "very involved" in the GOP primary to pick a potential successor.
Former Iowa state Rep. Brad Sherman is the only Republican candidate who has announced a gubernatorial run so far.
