Iowa’s GOP governor Reynolds launches reelection bid

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) kicked off her reelection campaign on Wednesday night in Des Moines, telling a crowd she was “fired up” and ready to make sure Iowa “remains a beacon of freedom, liberty and unlimited prosperity.”

Reynolds, who is running for a second term, formally announced her re-election bid at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, according to the Des Moines Register, just eight days after she delivered the Republican response to President Biden’s State of the Union address.

The 62-year-old governor touted her efforts to keep kids in school during the pandemic and ensure Iowans had freedom despite the novel coronavirus, the Des Moines Register reported.

“As long as I am governor, Iowa is going to be a state where you can live your life freely, where you don’t have to wake up in the morning and worry about the next thing that the government is going to do to you, your business or your children,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds will likely face Deidre DeJear, a small business owner projected to be the Democratic nominee, in the general election, according to the Register. 

A Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll has Reynolds leading DeJear 51 percent to 43 percent in a hypothetical matchup.

While Reynolds gained Republican plaudits for pushing back against COVID-19 restrictions, her state ranks as 29th for most deaths related to the novel coronavirus, the Associated Press reported.

Reynolds also saw pushback from the left for signing a bill into law that bars transgender girls and women from participating in sports that correspond with their gender identity.