Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds nominates Senator Chris Cournoyer as lieutenant governor

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds named state Sen. Chris Cournoyer as lieutenant governor Monday, more than three months later. his first and only number 2 elected resigned to take over the state bankers association.

Cournoyer was elected for the Iowa Senate in 2018 and has a background in technology, having earned a computer science degree, done web design, and worked for a technology company. In the Senate, she chaired the Education Budget Committee and served as vice chair of the State Government Committee.

“She has the character, judgment and ability to serve as governor in the event I am unable to do so – qualities that also make her ideal to support our work every day,” Reynolds said in a statement. “I look forward to deploying Chris’ extensive experience on key legislative committees, including Ways and Means, as well as his expertise in technology, innovation and artificial intelligence on a wide range of issues important to Iowans.”

Cournoyer is originally from LeClaire in eastern Iowa.

Reynolds’ first running mate, Adam Gregg, resigned from his position on September 3 after serving in the position for more than seven years, declaring that “my tenure in public service must end.” The same day, the Iowa Bankers Association announced Gregg as its new president and CEO.

Reynolds described Gregg as “a wonderful partner.”

Iowa law says the governor must appoint someone to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.

Reynolds told reporters in early October that she would make a decision on Gregg’s successor after the 2024 election, and that the year-end rollout will allow Cournoyer to settle in a few weeks before joining Reynolds in his speech annual report. after the legislative session begins in January.

“We want to do this right, you know, not only for the team, but for Iowans, and so I want to be very thoughtful in how I do that,” Reynolds said in October.

Re-elected in 2026, Reynolds will likely be joined by Cournoyer on the ballot if she chooses to run again.

Reynolds, who was lieutenant governor under former Gov. Terry Branstad, became governor in 2017 when Branstad was named U.S. ambassador to China. She was elected to a full term in 2018 and re-elected in 2022.

Reynolds in 2017 named Gregg as “acting” lieutenant governor after his own promotion. This followed legal issues on whether the Iowa Constitution gave an elected lieutenant governor the authority to appoint her replacement should she step in as governor in the event of the elected governor’s death, resignation or removal from office. Until their inauguration in 2019, Gregg was excluded from the line of succession.

In the November election, Iowa voters approved a legislatively mandated constitutional amendment to explicitly allow the appointment.