Terry Branstad

Terry Edward Branstad (born November 17, 1946) is an American politician. He was the United States Ambassador to China from May 24, 2017 to October 4, 2020. He was the 42nd Governor of Iowa from in January 14, 2011 until his resignation on May 24, 2017. Branstad was the 39th governor of Iowa from 1983 to 1999 and President of Des Moines University from 2003 to 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party and is the longest-serving governor in Iowa or American history.[1]

Terry Branstad
Picture of Terry Branstad as the 42nd Governor of Iowa
United States Ambassador to China
In office
June 26, 2017 – October 4, 2020
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byMax Baucus
Succeeded byR. Nicholas Burns
39th & 42nd Governor of Iowa
In office
January 14, 2011 – May 24, 2017
LieutenantKim Reynolds
Preceded byChet Culver
Succeeded byKim Reynolds
In office
January 14, 1983 – January 15, 1999
LieutenantRobert Anderson
Jo Ann Zimmerman
Joy Corning
Preceded byRobert Ray
Succeeded byTom Vilsack
Chair of the National Governors Association
In office
August 1, 1989 – July 31, 1990
Preceded byGerald Baliles
Succeeded byBooth Gardner
41st Lieutenant Governor of Iowa
In office
January 12, 1979 – January 14, 1983
GovernorRobert Ray
Preceded byArthur Neu
Succeeded byRobert Anderson
Member of the Iowa House of Representatives
from the 8th district
In office
January 8, 1973 – January 7, 1979
Preceded byDel Stromer
Succeeded byClifford Branstad
Personal details
Born
Terry Edward Branstad

(1946-11-17) November 17, 1946 (age 77)
Leland, Iowa, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Christine Johnson
Children3
ResidenceTerrace Hill
EducationUniversity of Iowa (BA)
Drake University (JD)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1969–1971
Unit503rd Military Police Battalion
AwardsArmy Commendation Medal

In 2010, he won a three-way primary election to run as the Republican candidate for governor. He ran against incumbent Governor Chet Culver, a Democrat, and four third party candidates in the November 2, 2010 general election.[2] He won the general election in November, defeating Culver by 52.9% to 43.1%.[3]

Branstad started the 2010 race with a lead in both the primary and general elections.[4][5][6][7] He won the Republican primary with 50.4% of the vote, 9.5% ahead of the next candidate.

On December 14, 2015, Branstad became the longest serving governor in American history.[8]

In December 2016, Branstad was nominated by President-elect of the United States Donald Trump to become the United States Ambassador to China. Branstad was confirmed by the Senate on May 22, 2017, and was succeeded as Governor of Iowa by Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds after he resigns to take up the ambassadorship.[9] He resigned in October 2020.

Early life

Branstad's family were Norwegian-American Lutheran farmers who lived in Leland, Iowa. Branstad graduated from the University of Iowa and earned a Juris Doctor degree from Drake University Law School.[10] He served in the United States Army from 1969 to 1971 and earned the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service. In 1989, he was named an honorary member of Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity at Iowa State University.

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, when he was elected Governor of Iowa.[11]

Governor of Iowa (1983–1999)

 
Branstad as Governor, April 28, 1984.

When he became governor at age 36, Branstad was the youngest governor in Iowa's history and when he left office, he was Iowa's longest-serving governor.[1] He served as chair of the National Governors Association during 1989–1990, and 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. Honor doctor of University of Northern Iowa.

Post-gubernatorial career

After Branstad's term as governor ended in 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 became the president of Des Moines University.[12] On October 16, 2009, he said that he was leaving Des Moines University to run for governor again.[13]

In 2001, Branstad was appointed by President George W. Bush to chair the President's Commission for Excellence in Special Education.[14] This group's goal was to make a plan to improve the educational performance of students with disabilities. After finishing that 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 Council's goal is to detect adolescent mental illness.

Branstad is or was on the boards of the Conmed Health Management Inc,[15] American Future Fund,[16] Iowa Health System, Liberty Bank, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants,[17] and Living History Farms.

2010 Gubernatorial campaign and election

On August 2, 2009, the Des Moines Register reported that Branstad might run for the Republican nomination for governor. On October 7, 2009, Branstad filed papers to run for governor in the 2010 election.[18] According to a poll taken in September 2009 by The Des Moines Register, he had a 70% positive rating from Iowans compared to Governor Chet Culver's rating of 50%.[19]

On June 8, 2010, Branstad won the Republican primary election in Iowa;[20] on January 2, 2010, he won the general election.

United States Ambassador to China

On December 8, 2016, Branstad accepted President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of him for the post of United States Ambassador to China (PRC).[21]

Branstad was confirmed by the United States Senate on a 83-12 vote on May 22, 2017, and was succeeded as Governor of Iowa by Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds once he resigned to take up the ambassadorship.[9]

Branstad announced his resignation on September 15, 2020.[22] He left the ambassadorship on October 4, 2020.[22]

Electoral history

  • 1982 election for Governor of Iowa:
1982 General Election:[23]
  • 1986 election for Governor of Iowa:
1986 General Election:[24]
  • Terrie Branstad (R), 51.9%
  • Lowell Junkins (D), 48.0%
  • 1990 election for Governor of Iowa:
1990 General Election:[25]
  • Terry Branstad (R), 60.6%
  • Donald Avenson (D), 38.8%
Republican Primary [26]
1994 General Election:[27]
Republican Primary [28]
2010 General Election:[3]

Terry Branstad Media

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Branstad's stand questioned". Omaha.com. 2009-12-06. Archived from the original on 2012-07-15. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  2. "Candidate Listing by Office, November 2, 2010 General Election" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State's Office. August 3, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 9, 2010. Retrieved October 19, 2010.
  3. 3.0 3.1 "2010 Gubernatorial General Election Results-Iowa". {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  4. "Culver rating slips; poll gives Branstad positive signs". Des Moines Register. 2009-09-19. Archived from the original on 2012-07-30. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  5. "Politics Nation". RealClearPolitics. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  6. "Iowa Poll: Culver rating falls, even among base | the des Moines Regi…". The Des Moines Register. Archived from the original on 2012-07-28. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
  7. Slevin, Peter (March 8, 2010). Iowa governor faces tough reelection as another state sours on incumbents. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/07/AR2010030701528.html?hpid=topnews. Retrieved May 25, 2010. 
  8. Terry Branstad Is Now The Longest Serving Governor In American History. December 14, 2015. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/12/14/terry-branstad-governor_n_8804490.html. Retrieved December 15, 2015. 
  9. 9.0 9.1 Jason Noble (May 22, 2017). "Terry Branstad confirmed as U.S. ambassador to China". Des Moines Register. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  10. "Governor Terry E. Branstad (IA)". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
  11. "Governor Terry E. Branstad (IA)". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
  12. "President Angela Franklin". 5 December 2018.
  13. "Des Moines University President Terry Branstad retires - DMU News & Events". Dmu.edu. 2009-10-16. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  14. "Archived: Governor Terry Branstad of Iowa - Chair of the President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education". Ed.gov. 2001-12-13. Archived from the original on 2010-06-06. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  15. "発注時のチェック事項 – ノベルティに作成するオリジナルタオルの発注方法".
  16. "About the Lecture Series : AFF Conservative Lecture Series". Archived from the original on 2014-12-25. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
  17. "2009-2010 AICPA Board of Directors". Aicpa.org. 2006-09-18. Archived from the original on 2012-03-07. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  18. "Branstad Files Paperwork for Gubernatorial Run". Theiowarepublican.com. 2009-10-07. Archived from the original on 2010-03-06. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  19. Beaumont, Thomas (September 19, 2009). "Culver rating slips; poll gives Branstad positive signs". Des Moines Register. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved February 15, 2010.
  20. "Republicans Nominate Branstad for Iowa Governor". KCRG.com. June 8, 2010. http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/95924319.html. Retrieved June 8, 2010. 
  21. Jacobs, Jennifer (December 6, 2016). Trump Picks Iowa Governor Branstad as China Ambassador. New York. https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-12-07/trump-said-to-pick-iowa-governor-branstad-as-china-ambassador. Retrieved December 7, 2016. 
  22. 22.0 22.1 Moritsugu, Ken (September 14, 2020). US Ambassador to China Will Step Down in October. The Diplomat. https://thediplomat.com/2020/09/us-ambassador-to-china-will-step-down-in-october/. Retrieved 15 September 2020. 
  23. "Election Results > US Gubernatorial Elections, 1982 statistics - states compared - StateMaster". www.statemaster.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-17. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
  24. "Iowa Legislature Heritage : Compound Object Viewer". contentdm.legis.state.ia.us. Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
  25. "1990 Gubernatorial General Election Results - Iowa". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
  26. "Iowa Legislature Heritage : Compound Object Viewer". contentdm.legis.state.ia.us. Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
  27. "1994 Gubernatorial General Election Results - Iowa". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
  28. "Iowa Primary Election Results 2010". desmoinesregister.com. Archived from the original on 2010-06-12. Retrieved 2010-06-09.

Other websites

Political offices
Preceded by
Arthur A. Neu
Lieutenant Governor of Iowa
1979–1983
Succeeded by
Robert Anderson
Preceded by
Robert Ray
Governor of Iowa
1983–1999
Succeeded by
Tom Vilsack
Preceded by
Gerald Baliles
Chairperson of the National Governors Association
1989–1990
Succeeded by
Booth Gardner
Preceded by
Chet Culver
Governor of Iowa
2011–2017
Succeeded by
Kim Reynolds
Preceded by
Dan Rank
United States Ambassador to China
2017–Incumbent
Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by
Robert Ray
Republican nominee for Governor of Iowa
1982, 1986, 1990, 1994
Succeeded by
Jim Lightfoot
Preceded by
Jim Nussle
Republican nominee for Governor of Iowa
2010
Incumbent