In her home town of Osceola, Iowa, Kim Reynolds spoke at an event. She preluded saying she had a “special campaign announcement.” 

This announcement turned out to be her bid for governor, hoping for four more years in the position. 

It started off like any other campaign event: guest speakers, Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg and her husband, Kevin Reynolds, spoke about how much she has done for the state and how she is personally the best candidate for governor. 

“There is nobody better prepared, in this moment in history, to be governor than governor Kim Reynolds,” Gregg said.

One of the supporting arguments Gregg and Kevin Reynolds brought up often was the recent U.S. News & World Report article that rated Iowa as the number one state in the country, up from the number six spot since the last time they did the ratings. 

“She is leading us in the right direction,” Gregg said. “Despite what you might hear sometimes in the media, despite what you might hear from folks across the state saying there is doom and gloom in our state, well I got news for you, that is gonna be pretty hard to prove when U.S. News & World Report says we are the number one state in the nation to live in.”

Unemployment at 2.8 percent, $3.2 billion in K-12 education funding and expanded opportunities through tax cuts were some of the other accomplishments Gregg said, “couldn’t be done without strong leadership.”

Governor Reynolds, after being introduced by her husband, reiterated the points made by Gregg saying, “We have to say it again, Iowa is the number one state in the country.”

Reynolds brought up past struggles she had working multiple jobs to make ends meet, raising children and not graduating from college until she was 57.

This is the origin of her saying, “If you are willing to work for it, anything is possible. No matter your age, no matter your past, opportunity is available.” 

Reynolds, citing these opportunities and her desire to improve Iowa, said “that is why, tonight, in a town where Kevin and I raised our girls, in a place where we have made so many friends and know the importance of community, I am excited and enthusiastic to announce my campaign and ask you to be your governor for another four years.”