By The Iowa Statesman
In an interview with The Washington Post, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad said he “wouldn’t bet” on him seeking a seventh term in office.
In the report posted to WaPo’s website today, Branstad said he’s continuing to groom Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds to be his successor. She is 13 years his junior, and has “been an energetic presence in Iowa politics in recent years,” according to the report.
Although he has not served all six of his terms consecutively, he will soon become the longest-serving governor in U.S. history. It’s a long-standing record that dates back to shortly after the end of the Revolutionary War.
Branstad, who has had heart problems in the past, has often sidestepped questions about his health since running for his fifth non-consecutive term in 2010. Reynolds is often seen as friendly to the interests of business and GOP establishment interests.
Expect to see other suitors emerge as the 2016 presidential campaign winds down.
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