Hunter
12/16/24
Iowa has a new Lieutenant Governor.
After over three months of speculation, Governor Kim Reynolds has named state Sen. Chris Cournoyer as her next lieutenant governor after Adam Gregg resigned the post earlier this year.
Cournoyer, a Republican from LeClaire, will serve out the remainder of Gregg’s term, which is set to expire at the end of 2026.
The pick comes ahead of the 2025 legislative session, during which the Governor will deliver her priorities for the year. Reynolds is expected to run for reelection in 2026 and Cournoyer is expected to run alongside her.
Iowa’s Constitution states the lieutenant governor is in charge of whatever duties the governor assigns. An important change came in November when voters passed a constitutional amendment that gives the governorship to the lieutenant governor if the current governor leaves office for whatever reason.
Cournoyer was first elected to the Iowa Senate in 2018 and reelected to a second four-year term in 2022. Reynolds will need to call a special election to fill her vacancy in the Iowa Senate.