History of Kim Reynolds in Timeline

Kim Reynolds is the 43rd and current governor of Iowa, serving since 2017. A Republican, she holds the distinction of being the first female governor in Iowa's history. Before becoming governor, Reynolds served as the lieutenant governor under Terry Branstad. Reynolds' political career has focused on issues relevant to Iowa, and she has held various roles in state government prior to becoming governor.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

August 4, 1959: Kim Reynolds Born

On August 4, 1959, Kimberly Kay Strawn (later Reynolds) was born in Iowa.

1959: Born in St. Charles, Iowa

In 1959, Kimberly Kay Strawn was born in St. Charles, Iowa.

1977: Graduated High School

In 1977, Kim Reynolds graduated from high school at the Interstate 35 Community School District.

1992: Took Accounting Classes

In 1992, Kim Reynolds took accounting classes at Southwestern Community College.

1994: Elected Clarke County Treasurer

In 1994, Kim Reynolds was elected as the Clarke County treasurer.

1995: Took Accounting Classes

In 1995, Kim Reynolds took accounting classes at Southwestern Community College.

November 4, 2008: Elected to Iowa Senate

On November 4, 2008, Kim Reynolds was elected to represent the 48th district in the Iowa Senate.

2009: Served in Iowa Senate

In 2009, Kim Reynolds began serving a partial term in the Iowa Senate.

June 25, 2010: Selected as Lieutenant Governor Candidate

On June 25, 2010, Terry Branstad selected Kim Reynolds as his running mate for lieutenant governor.

November 2, 2010: Won General Election

On November 2, 2010, the Branstad/Reynolds ticket won the general election.

2010: Endorsed Ban on Same-Sex Marriage

In 2010, Kim Reynolds endorsed a ban on same-sex marriage in Iowa.

January 14, 2011: Sworn in as Lieutenant Governor

On January 14, 2011, Kim Reynolds was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor of Iowa.

2011: Became Lieutenant Governor of Iowa

In 2011, Kim Reynolds became the 46th Lieutenant Governor of Iowa.

2012: Started Bachelor Program at Upper Iowa University

In 2012, Kim Reynolds began taking classes in the bachelor of public administration program at Upper Iowa University.

July 2015: Elected Chair of NLGA

In July 2015, Kim Reynolds was elected chair of the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA).

2015: Obergefell v. Hodges

In 2018, after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), Reynolds called same-sex marriage a "settled" issue.

December 2016: Awarded Bachelor's Degree

In December 2016, Iowa State University awarded Kim Reynolds a Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree.

May 2017: Became Governor of Iowa

In May 2017, Kim Reynolds became the Governor of Iowa after Terry Branstad stepped down.

May 24, 2017: Became Governor of Iowa

On May 24, 2017, Kim Reynolds became governor of Iowa after Terry Branstad's resignation.

May 25, 2017: Appointed Acting Lieutenant Governor

On May 25, 2017, Kim Reynolds announced that Adam Gregg would serve as acting lieutenant governor.

June 2017: Sought Full Term as Governor

In June 2017, Kim Reynolds announced she would seek a full term as governor of Iowa in the 2018 election.

2017: Restored Felon Voting Rights

From 2017 to April 2020, Reynolds restored the voting rights of 543 felons.

May 2018: Signed Fetal Heartbeat Bill

In May 2018, Kim Reynolds signed a "fetal heartbeat bill", one of the nation's most restrictive abortion bans.

2018: Acknowledged Impact of Trump's Trade Policies

In 2018, Kim Reynolds acknowledged that Donald Trump's trade and tariff policies were hurting American farmers.

2018: Proposed Medicaid Cuts

In 2018, Kim Reynolds proposed cutting $10 million from Medicaid.

2018: Won Full Term as Governor

In 2018, Kim Reynolds won a full term as the Governor of Iowa.

2018: Called Same-Sex Marriage a "Settled" Issue

In 2018, after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), Reynolds called same-sex marriage a "settled" issue.

January 2019: Fetal Heartbeat Bill Struck Down

In January 2019, an Iowa state judge struck down the "fetal heartbeat bill" as unconstitutional.

January 18, 2019: Began First Full Term

On January 18, 2019, Kim Reynolds began her first full term as governor.

March 2019: Signed Free Speech Bill

In March 2019, Kim Reynolds signed into law a bill requiring public universities to protect all speech on campus.

December 2019: Launched Anti-Vaping Campaign

In December 2019, Kim Reynolds launched an anti-vaping social media campaign to reduce vaping among Iowa youth.

2019: Charity Auction for Pork Producer's Foundation

In 2019, Kim Reynolds donated an afternoon of her time as part of a charity auction to benefit the Iowa Select Farms' owners' foundation.

March 9, 2020: Proclamation of Disaster Emergency Signed

On March 9, 2020, Kim Reynolds signed a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 2020: Restored Felon Voting Rights

From 2017 to April 2020, Reynolds restored the voting rights of 543 felons.

April 2020: COVID-19 Restrictions and Reopening Stance

In April 2020, Iowa health officials advised Reynolds to enforce face coverings and not ease restrictions related to COVID-19. Reynolds responded by taking the stance that it was better to reopen the economy and encourage people to be responsible and wear masks.

April 2020: TestIowa Program Contract Signed

In April 2020, Kim Reynolds signed a $26 million no-bid contract with Nomi Health to develop TestIowa, a COVID-19 testing program, on the advice of Ashton Kutcher.

July 2020: Raised Minimum Age for Tobacco

In July 2020, Kim Reynolds signed legislation that raised the minimum legal age to buy tobacco products, including vaping products, to 21.

July 2020: COVID-19 Testing at Iowa Select Farms

In July 2020, Kim Reynolds's administration arranged for COVID-19 testing to be done at Iowa Select's headquarters.

July 2020: Reynolds Overrides School Districts' Reopening Plans

In July 2020, Reynolds invalidated some school districts' plans to limit in-person classes, requiring students to spend at least half of their schooling in classrooms.

July 2020: Opposition to Local Mask Mandates

In July 2020, Reynolds stated that local mask mandates in Iowa were "not appropriate" and unlawful, seeking to block them despite recommendations from health organizations.

August 2020: Signed Executive Order on Felon Voting Rights

In August 2020, Kim Reynolds signed an executive order permitting felons to vote in Iowa elections upon completing their sentence.

September 2020: Revocation of CDC Quarantine Guidelines

In September 2020, the Reynolds administration revoked CDC guidelines recommending a 14-day quarantine for people exposed to the virus if both the infected person and close contacts were wearing masks properly.

November 2020: Mask Mandate Implemented After Election

After the November 2020 election, Kim Reynolds ordered the mandatory wearing of masks at large gatherings in Iowa.

November 2020: COVID-19 Peak in Iowa

COVID-19 peaked in Iowa in November 2020, contributing to Reynolds having the lowest approval rating of any governor in the nation for her handling of the pandemic.

November 2020: Statewide Mask Mandate Issued

In November 2020, Reynolds issued a statewide mask mandate, requiring individuals over age 2 to wear masks in indoor public spaces, reversing her previous stance.

2020: Democrats Won 2020 Presidential Election

Democrats won the 2020 presidential election, with Trump and many other Republicans making false claims of fraud.

2020: Campaign Appearances with Trump

In 2020, Kim Reynolds made campaign appearances with Donald Trump during the presidential campaign.

2020: Proposed Sales Tax Increase

In 2020, Kim Reynolds proposed a one-cent increase in the state sales tax.

2020: Poor Approval Ratings for COVID-19 Handling

In 2020, Kim Reynolds received poor approval ratings for her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

January 2021: Criticism over COVID-19 Testing

After the testing came to light in January 2021, Polk County Supervisor Matt McCoy criticized Reynolds, and State Auditor Rob Sand began an investigation into whether special treatment was accorded to political donors over essential workers and vulnerable persons.

January 2021: Acknowledged Biden's Victory

In January 2021, Kim Reynolds acknowledged Joe Biden's victory after Congress formally counted the electoral votes.

March 2021: Signed Voting Law Changes

In March 2021, Kim Reynolds signed into law a bill that shortened the hours of polling places on Election Day, reduced the early voting period, and required that absentee ballots be received by ballot places before the end of Election Day.

March 2021: Opposition to American Rescue Plan Act

In March 2021, Reynolds voiced her opposition to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

April 2, 2021: Signed Constitutional Carry Bill

On April 2, 2021, Kim Reynolds signed a bill allowing individuals to purchase and carry handguns without a permit, known as constitutional carry.

2021: Signed 24-Hour Abortion Waiting Period Bill

In 2021, Kim Reynolds signed into law a bill that required women getting abortion to wait for 24 hours; an Iowa court struck the law down.

2022: Delivered Republican Response to State of the Union

In 2022, Kim Reynolds delivered the Republican response to President Joe Biden's State of the Union Address.

2022: Re-elected as Governor

In 2022, Kim Reynolds was re-elected as the Governor of Iowa.

November 2023: Endorsement of Ron DeSantis

In November 2023, Kim Reynolds endorsed Ron DeSantis for the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries.

2023: Signed Six-Week Abortion Ban

In 2023, Kim Reynolds signed a six-week abortion ban into law.

2023: Legislation to Strip State Auditor's Powers

In 2023, Kim Reynolds signed legislation to strip the state auditor's powers.

February 1, 2024: Bill Introduced Defining 'Man' and 'Woman'

On February 1, 2024, Kim Reynolds introduced a bill defining "man" and "woman" based on reproductive anatomy and requiring official identification documents to list sex at birth.