Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds says she and Governor Branstad have had an “excellent working relationship” and she’s prepared to take over as the state’s chief executive when Branstad leaves to become the U.S. Ambassador to China. Reynolds spoke Friday afternoon with Radio Iowa news director O. Kay Henderson. An outline for the transition of power is being developed, but there’s no date set for Reynolds to take the oath of office and become Iowa’s next governor.

Reynolds says she’s working with Branstad and the entire “team” in his office to put together a package of recommendations for the 2017 legislative session. And it will be Branstad who’ll deliver the annual “Condition of the State” message to legislators in early January and present a state budget outline for the coming year.

As for whether Reynolds might make significant personnel changes in state government, she says this is “just the second day” after confirmation of Branstad’s exit and her elevation to the governorship. Reynolds isn’t ready to say who she’s considering to invite to be HER lieutenant governor once she takes the oath and is Iowa’s 43rd governor, but she has “a lot of individuals” on her list.

Reynolds says she’s looking for “good chemistry” since she will consider her lieutenant to be a governing partner. After 42 previous governors who were men, Iowa’s 43rd will be a woman and Reynolds hints she’ll run as an incumbent in 2018 — to become the first woman ELECTED as the state’s governor.

Reynolds served in local government as the treasurer in Clarke County before a two-year stint as a state senator, then she accepted Branstad’s invitation to be his lieutenant governor running mate in 2010. She’s the fifth woman in a row to serve as lieutenant governor. Until 2014 — when Joni Ernst was elected to the U.S. Senate — only the states of Iowa and Mississippi had never elected a women as governor or to federal office. “I’m really proud to have the opportunity to be a part of history and be part of that,” Reynolds says.

Not only is Ernst the first female senator from Iowa, but Reynolds points to Linda Upmeyer, who last year became the first woman to serve as speaker of the Iowa House. “Probably the majority” of state agency directors are women, too, according to Reynolds. “Although I’m proud of that, what I’m most proud of is I think for all of them it was not really about gender, but it was about a passion to serve and to make a difference and that’s what I think is reflected in every one of the individuals that I just named and that’s what I think is really important,” Reynolds says. “So, kind of as a side bonus, though, young girls in this state have some wonderful role models.”

Reynolds, who is 59, is a native of St. Charles. She and her husband live in Osceola.

(Radio Iowa)