Governor Kim Reynolds says she has a couple of names in mind, but is in no hurry to name a new
lieutenant governor.
“I want to make sure I take the time and get the right person there,” Reynolds said early this morning. “…We want to make sure we take a look at who that might be and what we want them to focus on.”
Reynolds spoke with reporters about 17 hours after Adam Gregg resigned as lieutenant governor to take a job in the private sector. “This is a very demanding job and it really requires a lot of sacrifices and so I understand him wanting to spend him wanting to spend more time with his family,” Reynolds said. “That makes a lot of sense and so I absolutely support him in his decision and what he’s going to do.”
The governor said Gregg told her last Friday he had the opportunity to become the next president and CEO of the Iowa Bankers Association. Reynolds said she and Gregg have kept “a grueling schedule” since May of 2017 when she became governor and he became lieutenant governor.
“Let’s put this in perspective. That was seven, eight years ago, but his kids were barely in school and Jackson is starting high school — so think about that timeline,” Reynolds told reporters. “I had the good fortune that my kids were grown.”
The governor said she and the now-former lieutenant governor have had “a tough” seven year stretch “It’s not been easy,” Reynolds said. “We started with flooding and tornadoes and then we moved into COVID and then we moved into a derecho, then we went back and did a few more tornadoes…and flooding. I mean, it’s 24/7 and non-stop and so I have a lot of respect for somebody that wants to step back and really focus on their family and just opportunities like this do not come up that often and so he just took all of that into account and made a decision for his family and so I appreciate that.”
Reynolds was asked if she was surprised Gregg is leaving politics altogether and will not run to succeed her as governor.
“There’s always the assumption when you bring in a lieutenant governor they’re going to be ready and willing to take that next step to serve as governor, but there’s never any guarantees that’s going to be the process,” Reynolds said. “And ultimately it’s going to be the people of Iowa who will decide who the next governor is going to be.”
Reynolds has not announced whether she intends to seek reelection in 2026. Reynolds has met with Senate President Amy Sinclair who is now first in the line of succession and would take over as governor if, for some reason, Reynolds is unable to fulfill her duties.