Speculation over who would run to be Gov. Kim Reynolds’ successor was a hot topic at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition’s spring kickoff in Clive.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — In a surprise announcement Friday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said she will not seek a third term in office in 2026. Reynolds, a Republican, has held the position since 2017, when former Gov. Terry Branstad was appointed U.S. ambassador to China. She was elected to full terms in 2018 and again in 2022.

Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds will not seek re-election in 2026 after nearly 10 years serving in the state's highest office, teeing up what may be a competitive Republican gubernatorial primary in 2026.

National Democrats are targeting 3 Iowa congressional races as they work to identify vulnerable Republicans and prepare their 2026 election strategy.

Chris Cournoyer is currently Iowa’s lieutenant governor. About the author: Midwest native Dave Price is Gray Television’s Iowa Political Director for nine stations that broadcast in the state and has been covering local, state and national politics from Iowa since 2001.

A bill on its way to the governor’s desk would give Iowa election officials more ways to check the citizenship of registered voters. Senator Ken Rozenboom, a Republican from Oskaloosa, said Iowa needs to update election laws to deal with new challenges.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed a controversial election bill into law Friday that targets the three counties that are home to iowa's public universities --S-