Terry Branstad

Terry Edward Branstad (born November 17, 1946) is an American politician and diplomat who is the 42nd Governor of Iowa, in office since January 2011. Branstad was also the state's 39th governor from 1983 to 1999, and he was president of Des Moines University from 2003 to 2009. Currently serving his sixth, four-year term, he is a member of the Republican Party. Branstad is the longest-serving governor in American history. In his 2010 return to politics, Branstad won a three-way primary election for the Republican nomination to run for governor in the general election. He faced incumbent Governor Chet Culver, a Democrat and four third party candidates on November 2, 2010, defeating Culver by 52.9% to 43.1%.

Branstad entered the 2010 Iowa governor race as the front runner for both the primary and general elections. Independent polling in 2009 indicated that his favorability ratings hovered in the 70% range. He was widely seen as the front runner for the Republican nomination, and had wide leads in aggregate polling against the sitting governor, Chet Culver. He won the Republican primary with 50.4% of the popular vote, 9.5 percentage points ahead of his nearest competitor.

In the election on November 4, 2014, Branstad was elected to an unprecedented sixth four-year term as Iowa governor. On December 14, 2015, he became the longest-serving governor in U.S. history (breaking the record held by George Clinton of New York, who served 21 years). As of the November 2016 elections, Branstad became governor of a state government "trifecta," with Republican majorities in both the Iowa Senate and House; the last time Iowa's government had a Republican "trifecta" was from 1997-1998, also under Branstad as governor.

On December 8, 2016, Branstad accepted President Donald Trump's nomination of him for the post of United States Ambassador to China (PRC). Should he take office as China Ambassador, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds will replace Branstad as Iowa Governor, and would become the first female Governor of Iowa.

Branstad was born in Leland, Iowa, the son of Rita L. (née Garland) and Edward Arnold Branstad, a farmer. His mother was Jewish, and his father was from a Norwegian American Lutheran family; Branstad himself was raised Lutheran, and later converted to Catholicism. Through his mother, Branstad is a second cousin of Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland.

Branstad received a bachelor of arts in political science from the University of Iowa in 1969 and a juris doctorate from Drake University Law School in 1974. After getting his undergraduate degree, he was drafted and served in the United States Army from 1969 to 1971, serving as a military policeman in the 503rd Military Police Battalion at Fort Bragg, and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service; he once recalled that he arrested actress Jane Fonda for coming onto post at Arlington National Cemetery, where she was planning to attend an anti-war protest.

Branstad served three terms in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1973 to 1979 and served as the 41st Lieutenant Governor of Iowa from 1979 to 1983, the year he was elected Governor of Iowa.

First tenure (1983–1999)

Branstad attends the recommissioning ceremony for the USS Iowa, April 28, 1984.

When elected governor at age 36, Branstad was the youngest chief executive in Iowa’s history and when he left office, he was Iowa’s longest-serving governor. He served as Chairman of the National Governors Association during 1989–1990, and also was Chair of the Midwestern Governors Association. In 1997, he chaired the Education Commission of the States, the Republican Governors Association, and the Governors’ Ethanol Coalition.

In 1983, he vetoed a bill that would allow a state lottery.

Iowa’s unemployment rate went from 8.5% when he took office to a record low 2.5% by the time he left office in 1999. In his first year as governor, the state budget had a $90 million deficit. It took several years until the budget was balanced. He said that he did not have enough support in the legislature to approve budget reforms until 1992. By 1999, Iowa had an unprecedented $900 million budget surplus.

Inter-gubernatorial career

Branstad (left) with Fred Thompson and Robert D. Ray in 2007.

Branstad focused most of his efforts on endeavors outside of politics when he left office in early 1999. He founded Branstad and Associates, LLC and was also a partner in the firm of Kaufman, Pattee, Branstad & Miller, and a financial advisor for Robert W. Baird and Co.

In August 2003, Branstad accepted an offer from Des Moines University to become its president. On October 16, 2009, he announced his retirement from Des Moines University in order to run again for governor.

Branstad was appointed by President George W. Bush to chair the President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education. The commission was charged with developing a plan to improve the educational performance of students with disabilities. After completing his work with the commission in 2003, he was asked to serve as a member of the National Advisory Council for Positive Action for Teen Health, or PATH. The advisory council encourages action toward detecting adolescent mental illness. In April 2003, he was named to serve as a public member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, which comprises both professional and public members who address a variety of issues related to the profession.

Branstad serves on the boards of, among others, Conmed Health Management Inc, American Future Fund, the Iowa Health System, Liberty Bank, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and Living History Farms.

Second tenure (2011–present)

2010 gubernatorial election

On August 2, 2009, The Des Moines Register reported that Branstad was actively considering seeking the Republican nomination for governor. On October 7, 2009, Branstad filed papers to run for governor in the 2010 election. According to a poll conducted in September 2009 by The Des Moines Register, he maintained a 70% favorability rating from Iowans as compared to Governor Chet Culver’s rating of 50%.

On June 8, 2010, Branstad won the Republican gubernatorial nomination, but when opposing candidate Bob Vander Plaats conceded, he did not endorse Branstad.

The Des Moines Tea Party gave Branstad a "no" on their report card regarding "criteria for acceptance" and said Branstad had "a history of raising taxes, [was] not a true conservative, and increased the size of government every year he held office, [and] built a state-owned phone company." Branstad was accused by former Iowa State Auditor Richard Johnson of keeping "two sets of books" on the state budget when he was governor. Johnson said Branstad needed to be "transparent" to Iowa voters about the reporting of Iowa’s finances during his tenure as governor.

2014 gubernatorial election

Branstad ran for reelection in 2014. He was opposed in the Republican primary by Tom Hoefling, a political activist and nominee for President in 2012 for both of America’s Party and American Independent Party. Branstad won the primary with 83% of the vote.

For the general election, Branstad faced Democratic nominee State Senator Jack Hatch and won the election with 59% of the vote.

Taxes

In June 2013, Branstad signed into law a sweeping tax reform bill that garnered widespread bipartisan support, passing the Iowa Senate by 44 votes to 6 and the Iowa House by 84 votes to 13. The bill, entitled Senate File 295, provided for the state's largest tax cut in state history, including significant property tax reforms - estimated at $4.4 billion at the time of signing - as well as an estimated $90 million of annual income tax relief, in part in the form of an increase in the earned income tax credit. The bill also included significant reforms to education and healthcare.

Job creation ranking

In a June 2013 analysis by The Business Journals looking at 45 of the country’s 50 governors by their job creation record, Branstad was ranked number 28. The five governors omitted from the analysis all assumed office in 2013. The ranking was based on a comparison of the annual private sector growth rate in all 50 states using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Gun rights

On April 13, 2017, with large Republican majorities in the Iowa legislature, Branstad signed a bill into law expanding gun rights in Iowa, enacting a stand-your-ground law, expanding the right of citizens to sue if they believe their Second Amendment rights are being infringed, and expanding the gun rights of minors, among several other provisions.

In December 2016, Branstad was chosen by President Donald Trump to serve as US Ambassador to China, succeeding Max Baucus. Branstad accepted the offer within one day after meeting with President Trump in New York. Trump cited Branstad's decades of experience with China in his role as Governor of Iowa in choosing him for the role. Xi Jinping, China's paramount leader considers Branstad an “old friend”.

Branstad will be succeeded by Lieutenant Governor of Iowa Kim Reynolds if his nomination is confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Branstad's hearing before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee was held on May 2, 2017.

Terry Branstad married Christine Johnson on June 17, 1972. The couple have three children – Eric, Allison and Marcus – and seven grandchildren. Christine has worked as a medical assistant and as a volunteer at schools and hospitals.

Branstad is a member of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. He received the honor of "Knight Commander of the Court of Honor" in 2015.

• 1972 election for Iowa House of Representatives District 8:
  • Terry Branstad (R), 59.0%
  • Elmer Selbrand (D), 41.0%
• 1974 election for Iowa House of Representatives District 8:
  • Terry Branstad (R), 68.7%
  • Jean Haugland (D), 31.3%
• 1976 election for Iowa House of Representatives District 8:
  • Terry Branstad (R), 70.4%
  • Franklin Banwart (D), 29.6%
• 1978 Republican primary election for Lieutenant Governor of Iowa:
  • Terry Branstad, 42.1%
  • Hansen, 32.7%
  • Oakley, 25.2%
• 1978 election for Lieutenant Governor of Iowa:
  • Terry Branstad (R), 57.7%
  • William Palmer (D), 42.3%
• 1982 election for Governor of Iowa:

• 1986 election for Governor of Iowa:

• 1990 election for Governor of Iowa:

• 1994 election for Governor of Iowa:

• 2010 election for Governor of Iowa:

• 2014 election for Governor of Iowa: