DES MOINES, Iowa — Three weeks ago, Governor Kim Reynolds announced that she would not be seeking reelection in the state’s highest office.

A 16-year career in the state’s executive branch will come to a close in two years. Reynolds was Iowa’s 46th Lieutenant Governor from 2011 until the summer of 2017 when she was appointed to the highest office in the state. Reynolds won reelection twice, in 2018 and 2022.

On Today in Iowa Sunday, Reynolds discusses the process of her making the big decision and what the future could potentially hold for her. She also looks back at some of the biggest challenges she has faced as Iowa’s Governor.

The Iowa Republican Party will hold an open primary now for the 2026 gubernatorial election, the first open primary in 16 years. Reynolds previews what her involvement will look like in the primary process.

You are able to view the first part of the interview in the video attached above, with the second part right here: