Governor Branstad, Lt. Governor Reynolds. (file photo)

Governor Branstad, Lt. Governor Reynolds. (file photo)

Governor Terry Branstad is disputing those who’ve suggested Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds has some popularity problems within the GOP.

“It’s not true,” Branstad said this morning in response to a reporter’s question on the topic.

Reynolds was Branstad’s choice for a running mate in 2010, but she had to win a contest against conservative activist Bob Vander Plaats at the Republican Party’s state convention that year to secure the nomination. Branstad told reporters today he’s open to a similar vote at this year’s state GOP convention.

“We don’t take anything for granted,” Branstad said. “We’re grassroots people and we recognize that we are servants of the people and it is the convention that has the right to choose the nominee and we want to earn the support.”

Since Branstad is 67 years old, there has been speculation that if he wins reelection this November, he might resign halfway through his sixth term as governor and let Reynolds take the reigns of state government so she’d be governor, seeking reelection in 2018. Neither Branstad nor Reynolds addressed that speculation today, but Reynolds touted her work ethic.

“I travel that state. I go to all 99 counties every year, as well as the governor, so I am out working with Iowans, talking to Iowans,” Reynolds said. “…It’s an opportunity for me to talk about great things that we’re working on at the state level.”

According to Reynolds, the State of Iowa has “made some progress” during the Branstad/Reynolds administration.

“But we’re not done. There’s a lot of great work to do yet and so we’re fired up and ready and energized to go out there and work hard to be reelected,” Reynolds told reporters.

Reynolds is among the Republicans who considered running for the U.S. Senate in 2014, but she opted to seek reelection as lieutenant governor instead.