Governor Kim Reynolds came to the Alumni Center tonight to speak to students and Ames residents about what she has done while holding the office of governor since May 2017. 

The first speaker, who was introduced by the president of ISU College Republicans, was Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg, who praised Gov. Reynolds impacts on the state of Iowa, and the people of Iowa who have made Iowa the number one state in the country according to a report by “USA Today.” 

“Folks there’s nobody more prepared to take on those tough obstacles like Kim Reynolds,” Gregg said. “There’s nobody built for this moment like Governor Kim Reynolds.”

Gregg introduced a friend of Gov. Reynolds and Iowa State alumna Amy Boozell, who works for the Boys and Girls Club of Story County. Boozell met Reynolds at Iowa State on graduation day, when they sat together and talked about their families, both of them being mothers already. 

Boozell praised Reynolds for her work in the state of Iowa. She also talked about Reynolds’ work ethic and how inspiring it was to hear her Condition of the State address, and why she is supporting Reynolds for re-election. 

“I know her heart is in the right place. We’re both moms who want the best for our children” Boozell said. “No one is better to lead our state than her.”

Kim Reynolds began by thanking Boozell, then thanked everyone for the opportunity to be Iowa’s 43rd governor. She said that it’s because of the people of Iowa that it is now the number one state in the country, which is up five spots from 6th last year. 

“Iowa it truly is a state where if you work hard and dream big– anything–absolutely anything is possible,” Reynolds said. “This is a reflection of the people of Iowa and of all of you.”

Reynolds insisted that her office is “not resting on their laurels” just yet, mentioning that Nebraska broke the top 10 and is going for number one. She said that they are going to continue to work to stay on top, by continuing efforts to make health care more affordable.

She said that federal tax cuts have had a positive impact on Iowans, saying that “these are not small crumbs,” and that the tax cuts made by federal legislators have a big difference on families.

Gov. Reynolds talked about raising her family in Mount Pleasant, and how in order to make ends meet for her family she had to work as a grocer at Hy-Vee. 

“I had to hop in the truck and go to Hy-Vee to work on nights and weekends to make ends meet. So I do know that when you open that paycheck and there’s a few extra dollars in there, that’s real money and it makes a difference.”

Reynolds moved on to the importance of financing education, and how the state of Iowa has invested $760 million in the last seven years of new money into K-12 education in the state of Iowa. 

On the topic of education, she said that they are prioritizing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) jobs and education in the state of Iowa because these are the jobs of the future. She also asked students in the audience to stay in Iowa after graduation.

“I promise we’ll do everything we can to have great opportunities, great jobs, because we want you to be a part of keeping Iowa moving forward,” she said. 

Reynolds is also running for re-election. For more information on Kim Reynolds and Adam Gregg’s campaign, click here.