Is Kim Reynolds running for re-election as Iowa governor in 2026?

Kim Reynolds has served as Iowa governor since 2017 and was elected in her own right in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. She is eligible for a third term in 2026 and has not ruled out running. Iowa is rated R+8 at the presidential level, and Reynolds' approval of around 53% makes her a solid favorite for re-election if she runs. Reynolds has been mentioned as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, which could influence her 2026 decision.

What is Kim Reynolds' record as Iowa governor?

Kim Reynolds succeeded Terry Branstad when he resigned in 2017 to become US Ambassador to China. She has governed as a traditional conservative with a focus on tax cuts (Iowa enacted a 3.8% flat income tax), school choice expansion (Iowa passed universal school choice in 2023), and fiscal responsibility. Reynolds chose not to implement a statewide mask mandate during COVID-19, a decision that was politically popular with Iowa conservatives. She has been a consistent opponent of renewable energy mandates, a position that occasionally creates tension with Iowa's large wind energy industry.

Is Iowa a competitive state for Democrats in the governor race?

Iowa has trended significantly more Republican over the past decade and is now rated R+8 at the presidential level. Trump won Iowa by 8 points in 2024, and Reynolds won re-election in 2022 by 19 points. Democrats have struggled to recruit competitive statewide candidates in Iowa, and the state Democratic Party is in a weakened organizational state after years of losses. A well-funded Democratic gubernatorial candidate could narrow the margin but would face severe structural headwinds in a state that once voted for Obama twice but has since shifted decisively toward Republicans.

Home › States › Iowa › Governor Race

Safe R — Reynolds 2028 Watch, No Serious D Challenge

Iowa Governor Race 2026: Kim Reynolds Seeks Third Term

IA R+8 · Reynolds approval ~53% · Won 2022 by 19 pts · Potential 2028 presidential aspirant · No serious D challenger expected

R+8

Trump IA margin 2024

+19

Reynolds 2022 margin

3.8%

Iowa flat income tax

Safe R

2026 race rating

Iowa Governor 2026 — Key Numbers

~53%

Reynolds approval (est.)

Solid first among R governors

R+8

State presidential lean

Trending R since 2016

School choice

Universal vouchers 2023

Signature Reynolds policy

Safe R

Cook Political Report

No competitive threat

2026 Iowa Governor — Candidates

Candidate	Party	Background	Outlook
Kim Reynolds	Republican	Incumbent Governor (since 2017)	Strong favorite if she runs; 2028 watch
TBD if Reynolds steps down	Republican	Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg or others	Would still be Safe R
TBD Democratic candidate	Democrat	No major candidate recruited	Faces R+8 structural deficit

Analysis: Iowa’s 2026 Governor Race

Reynolds’ Record

Conservative Policy Wins in a Trending-R State

Reynolds has delivered a comprehensive conservative policy agenda in Iowa: a flat income tax of 3.8% (phased in from a graduated structure), universal school choice through education savings accounts (the most expansive in the country when enacted), strict abortion restrictions, and rollback of LGBTQ+ protections at state agencies. Her COVID-19 approach — no statewide mask mandate, early reopening — was politically popular with Iowa conservatives and contributed to her 19-point 2022 win. Reynolds has positioned Iowa as a conservative policy laboratory competing with Florida and Texas for the title of the leading Republican-governed state, a positioning that serves her national profile.

2028 Speculation

Reynolds and the Post-Trump Republican Field

Kim Reynolds has been mentioned alongside Ron DeSantis, Glenn Youngkin, and others as a potential 2028 Republican presidential candidate, though all such speculation is heavily contingent on the post-Trump political landscape. Reynolds’ relationship with Trump deteriorated visibly after she declined to endorse him before the 2024 Iowa caucuses — a decision Trump publicly criticized. In a post-Trump Republican primary, however, Reynolds’ governing record, Midwest identity, and consistent conservative credentials could make her a credible candidate. Whether she seeks a third Iowa term in 2026 or steps down to launch a presidential campaign earlier is one of the more interesting Republican chess moves to watch in the 2026 elections.

Iowa’s Political Shift

Once a Swing State, Now Trending Solidly R

Iowa voted for Obama in 2008 and 2012 and was a presidential battleground state as recently as 2016. Trump won Iowa by 10 points in 2020 and 8 in 2024, reflecting a structural realignment among Iowa’s rural and small-town white working-class voters. Urbanized metro areas like Des Moines and Iowa City vote Democratic but are not large enough to offset the rural Republican margins. The state Democratic Party has been in organizational decline, losing US House seats and state legislative chambers. Iowa is not the presidential battleground it once was, and its governor races reflects that shift — a once-competitive state has become a reliable Republican hold with rare exception.