DES MOINES – Today, Gov. Kim Reynolds took the oath of office to become Iowa’s 43rd governor. She officially became governor of Iowa at 10:06 a.m. Below are her first remarks to Iowans as governor, as prepared for delivery.
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DES MOINES – At 10:06 a.m. today, Gov. Terry Branstad resigned as governor of Iowa, marking his 8,169th day in office.
To view that resignation letter, please click here.
For pictures of the resignation, please click here.
At 10:07 a.m., he took the oath of office as the next U.S. Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China. Judge Steven Colloton administered the oath of office.
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Grassley Statement on the Inauguration of Governor Reynolds
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa made the following statement on the swearing-in of Kim Reynolds as the 43rd Governor of Iowa.
“Congratulations to Kim Reynolds on becoming Iowa’s newest governor and for making history as its first female governor. From her public service at the grassroots of Iowa as a county treasurer then to state senator and lieutenant governor, Governor Reynolds walks into the governor’s office in touch and with the experience, ability and know-how to hit the ground running in her new job. Iowa is in good hands under her leadership, and I look forward to working with Governor Reynolds on behalf of Iowans.”
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Statement from Rep. Todd Prichard on the Swearing in of Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds as Governor
Charles City, Iowa - State Representative Todd Prichard, Democratic candidate for governor, issued the following statement regarding Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds swearing in as governor of Iowa. "I congratulate Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds on becoming the first woman to serve as governor of Iowa. As my parents always said, for whom much is given, much is expected. With Kim Reynolds assuming the office of governor, certainly much is expected of her as she takes over a state that is struggling from the devastating effects of the Republican agenda. Too many Iowans have been left behind, wages are stagnant or declining, schools are underfunded, and families are struggling to provide basic care for their loved ones. I hope that Governor Reynolds will listen to the people she now leads, and understand the challenges that Iowans are facing. But if Governor Reynolds won’t, I will. I will never stop fighting for those forgotten Iowans, and I look forward to bringing that fight every day to communities large and small across the state."
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Iowa Democrats respond to Governor Reynolds’ swearing-in
DES MOINES, Iowa – Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Derek Eadon released the following statement on Governor Kim Reynolds’ swearing-in this morning:
“Governor Reynolds’ swearing-in today comes at a critical time for Iowa. We’re facing budget shortfalls topping hundreds of millions, the quality of education in Iowa is threatened due to severely underfunded public schools, and health care facilities are being shuttered. While we sincerely hope Governor Reynolds is able to succeed in addressing these challenges, Iowans cannot ignore her role in creating them in the first place. “For years, Governor Reynolds has stood by as our state’s problems have mounted and our future has been jeopardized. Instead of prioritizing job creation and the economy, she has pushed for an agenda that puts partisan politics ahead of middle-class Iowans. Governor Reynolds has promoted divisive social issues, while slashing funding for higher education, privatizing Medicaid, closing mental health facilities, and stripping basic rights away from Iowa workers. “We need a governor that is willing to put partisan games aside and ensure Iowa’s future is strong. If the past seven years are any indication, Iowans aren’t going to see this leadership from Governor Reynolds.”
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STATEMENT FROM ICGA PRESIDENT KURT HORA - IOWA CORN FARMERS COMMEND LT. GOVERNOR REYNOLD'S ASCENSION TO GOVERNOR On behalf of Iowa's corn farmers, we congratulate Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds on her advancement to be the 43rd Governor of our state. During her seven-year tenure as Lt. Governor, Reynolds has been a strong advocate for rural Iowa and has done a remarkable job in initiating programs to stimulate business and trade for Iowa. She has hosted numerous trade delegations and international trade missions abroad that Iowa Corn farmers have joined. These activities have directly impacted U.S. corn sales by helping us build trade relationships with our international customers. Reynolds has also advocated for the expansion of the ethanol industry in our state. We are also thankful to have someone with such deep agricultural roots in this vital role. Reynolds, a former state senator and county treasurer, grew up in rural St. Charles, Iowa. As Lt. Governor, she traveled to all 99 counties of our state each year often meeting with Iowa Corn members and has been a long-standing guest at many of Iowa Corn's events throughout the years including the Iowa Corn 300 race, Iowa Corn Day at the State Fair and the ICGA Annual Grassroots Summit. We look forward to working with Governor Reynolds on several important issues facing our state including: passage of legislation providing long-term funding for water quality, funding for Iowa's biofuels infrastructure cost-share program (RFIP), and full state coupling of federal Section 179 allowing small businesses and farmers to expense capital expenses on their 2018 tax returns. - 30 -
