Terry E. Branstad
Encyclopedia
Terry Edward Branstad is an American
politician who is the 42nd and current Governor of Iowa since January 2011. 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
. He is the youngest and longest-serving governor in Iowa's history. In 2010, he prevailed in a three-way primary and won the Republican nomination to run again for governor. He faced incumbent Governor Chet Culver
, a Democrat and four third party
candidates on November 2, 2010. He won the general election in November, defeating Democratic incumbent Chet Culver by a 52.9% to 43.1% margin.
Branstad entered the 2010 race as the front runner for both the primary and general elections. Independent polling in 2009 indicated that his approval ratings hovered in the 70% range. He was widely seen as the front runner for the Republican nomination and had wide leads in aggregate polling against Culver. He won the Republican primary with 50.4% of the popular vote, 9.5 percentage points ahead of his nearest competitor.
, Branstad received his undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa
and his law degree from Drake University Law School
. He served in the United States Army
from 1969 to 1971 and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service. In 1989, he was named an honorary member of Alpha Gamma Rho
Fraternity at Iowa State University.
from 1973 to 1979 and served as the 41st Lieutenant Governor of Iowa
from 1979 to 1983, when he was elected Governor of Iowa.
When elected governor at age 36, Branstad was the youngest chief executive in Iowa's history and when he left office, was Iowa's longest-serving governor. 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.
In 1991, Branstad ignored binding arbitration with employees of the State of Iowa's labor unions by vetoing a salary bill, was taken to court, and lost later in appeals in the state court system (AFSCME Iowa Council 61 et al., v. Branstad). In 1983, he vetoed a bill that would allow a state lottery
. Iowa’s unemployment rate went from 8.5% when he took office to a record low 2.5% by the time he left in 1999. In his first year as Governor, the state budget had a $90 million deficit. It took several years until the budget was balanced. He claimed that he didn’t have enough support in the legislature to approve budget reforms until 1992. By 1999, Iowa had an unprecedented $900 million budget surplus.
when he left office at the beginning of 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 accepted an offer from Des Moines University
to become its president. On October 16, 2009, he announced his retirement from Des Moines University in order to run again for governor.
Branstad was appointed by President George W. Bush
to chair the President's Commission for Excellence in Special Education. The commission was charged with developing a plan to improve the educational performance of students with disabilities. After completing his 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 advisory council encourages action toward detecting adolescent mental illness. In April 2003, he was named to serve as a public member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
, which comprises both professional and public members who address such issues as student recruitment and professional ethics for CPAs.
Branstad serves on the boards of Conmed Health Management Inc, Advanced Analytical Technologies, Inc., American Future Fund, Cemen Tech, Featherlite, Iowa Health System
, Liberty Bank
, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and Living History Farms
.
reported that Branstad was actively considering running for the Republican nomination for governor.
On October 7, 2009, Branstad filed papers to run for Iowa Governor in the 2010 election. According to a poll conducted in September 2009 by The Des Moines Register, he maintained a 70% favorability rating from Iowans compared to then-current Governor Chet Culver
's rating of 50%. He may have been helped by an anti-incumbent mood.
On Tuesday June 8, 2010 Branstad won the Republican gubernatorial nomination in Iowa, but when opposing candidate Bob Vander Plaats conceded, he did not endorse Branstad.
The Des Moines Tea Party
gave Branstad a "no" on their report card on "criteria for acceptance" and said Branstad had "a history of raising taxes, [was] not a true conservative, and increased the size of government every year he held office, [and] built a state-owned phone company."
Branstad has been accused by former Iowa State Auditor Richard Johnson of keeping "two sets of books" on the state budget when he was governor. Johnson said Branstad needed to be "transparent" to Iowa voters about the reporting of Iowa's finances during his tenure as governor.
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United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician who is the 42nd and current Governor of Iowa since January 2011. Branstad was the 39th Governor of Iowa from 1983 to 1999 and President of Des Moines University
Des Moines University
Des Moines University is a United States' osteopathic medical college and is located in Des Moines, Iowa. Des Moines University is the second oldest Osteopathic medical school and the fifteenth largest medical school in the United States. There are 14,124 total alumni .-History:Des Moines...
from 2003 to 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party
Republican Party of Iowa
The Republican Party of Iowa is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Iowa. The State Central Committee is led by Chairman Matt Strawn and Co-Chairman Bill Schickel...
. He is the youngest and longest-serving governor in Iowa's history. In 2010, he prevailed in a three-way primary and won the Republican nomination to run again for governor. He faced incumbent Governor Chet Culver
Chet Culver
Chester John "Chet" Culver was the 41st Governor of Iowa, from 2007 to 2011. He was also elected as the Federal Liaison for the Democratic Governors Association for 2008-2009. He founded the Chet Culver Group, an energy sector consulting firm, in 2011.-Early life and education:Culver was born in...
, a Democrat and four third party
Third party (United States)
The term third party is used in the United States for any and all political parties in the United States other than one of the two major parties . The term can also refer to independent politicians not affiliated with any party at all and to write-in candidates.The United States has had a...
candidates on November 2, 2010. He won the general election in November, defeating Democratic incumbent Chet Culver by a 52.9% to 43.1% margin.
Branstad entered the 2010 race as the front runner for both the primary and general elections. Independent polling in 2009 indicated that his approval ratings hovered in the 70% range. He was widely seen as the front runner for the Republican nomination and had wide leads in aggregate polling against Culver. He won the Republican primary with 50.4% of the popular vote, 9.5 percentage points ahead of his nearest competitor.
Early life
Born to a Norwegian-American Lutheran farming family in Leland, IowaLeland, Iowa
Leland is a city in Winnebago County, Iowa, United States. The population was 258 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Leland is located at ....
, Branstad received his undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
and his law degree from Drake University Law School
Drake University Law School
Drake University Law School is a fully accredited law school of Drake University, located in Des Moines, Iowa. The school has over 400 full-time students. The school is presently led by Dean Allan Vestal. The most recent edition of US News and World Report's Best Law Schools ranked Drake in the...
. He served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
from 1969 to 1971 and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service. In 1989, he was named an honorary member of Alpha Gamma Rho
Alpha Gamma Rho
Alpha Gamma Rho is a social-professional fraternity in the United States, with 75 university chapters including chapter in Mindanao State University, Philippines...
Fraternity at Iowa State University.
Early political career
Branstad served three terms in the Iowa House of RepresentativesIowa House of Representatives
The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 100 members of the House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 29,750 for each constituency...
from 1973 to 1979 and served as the 41st Lieutenant Governor of Iowa
Lieutenant Governor of Iowa
This is a List of Lieutenant Governors of the U.S. state of Iowa, 1858 to present. In Iowa, the Lieutenant Governor and the governor run together on the same ticket. Before the 1998 Election, the law was changed from the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor running separately....
from 1979 to 1983, when he was elected Governor of Iowa.
Governor of Iowa (1983-1999)
National Governors Association
The National Governors Association , founded in 1908 as the National Governors' Conference, is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts and private contributions. NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories The National Governors Association...
during 1989–1990, and was Chair of the Midwestern Governors Association
Midwestern Governors Association
The Midwestern Governors Association is a 501 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that brings together the Midwestern governors of states to work cooperatively on public policy issues of significance to the region. The MGA was created in December 1962 in Chicago, when articles of organization were...
. In 1997, he chaired the Education Commission of the States
Education Commission of the States
The Education Commission of the States was founded as a result of the creation of the Compact for Education, an interstate compact approved by Congress in 1965 and currently entered by 49 U.S...
, the Republican Governors Association
Republican Governors Association
The Republican Governors Association is a Washington, D.C.-based 527 organization founded in 1963, consisting of U.S. state and territorial governors affiliated with the Republican Party.Its Democratic Party counterpart is the Democratic Governors Association...
, and the Governors' Ethanol Coalition.
In 1991, Branstad ignored binding arbitration with employees of the State of Iowa's labor unions by vetoing a salary bill, was taken to court, and lost later in appeals in the state court system (AFSCME Iowa Council 61 et al., v. Branstad). In 1983, he vetoed a bill that would allow a state lottery
Iowa Lottery
The Iowa Lottery is run by the government of Iowa. It is a charter member of, and home to, the Multi-State Lottery Association , which administers its games on behalf of the member lotteries...
. Iowa’s unemployment rate went from 8.5% when he took office to a record low 2.5% by the time he left in 1999. In his first year as Governor, the state budget had a $90 million deficit. It took several years until the budget was balanced. He claimed that he didn’t have enough support in the legislature to approve budget reforms until 1992. By 1999, Iowa had an unprecedented $900 million budget surplus.
Post-gubernatorial career
Branstad focused most of his efforts on endeavors outside of politicsAmerican politics
American politics is an area of study within the academic discipline of political science. It is primarily, but not exclusively, studied by researchers in the United States...
when he left office at the beginning of 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 accepted an offer from Des Moines University
Des Moines University
Des Moines University is a United States' osteopathic medical college and is located in Des Moines, Iowa. Des Moines University is the second oldest Osteopathic medical school and the fifteenth largest medical school in the United States. There are 14,124 total alumni .-History:Des Moines...
to become its president. On October 16, 2009, he announced his retirement from Des Moines University in order to run again for governor.
Branstad was appointed by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to chair the President's Commission for Excellence in Special Education. The commission was charged with developing a plan to improve the educational performance of students with disabilities. After completing his 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 advisory council encourages action toward detecting adolescent mental illness. In April 2003, he was named to serve as a public member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Founded in 1887, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants is the national professional organization of Certified Public Accountants in the United States, with more than 370,000 CPA members in 128 countries in business and industry, public practice, government, education, student...
, which comprises both professional and public members who address such issues as student recruitment and professional ethics for CPAs.
Branstad serves on the boards of Conmed Health Management Inc, Advanced Analytical Technologies, Inc., American Future Fund, Cemen Tech, Featherlite, Iowa Health System
Iowa health system
-Hospitals:...
, Liberty Bank
Liberty Bank
Liberty Bank is headquartered in the heart of downtown Middletown, Connecticut, but is located throughout Middlesex County and at shoreline locations...
, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and Living History Farms
Living History Farms
Living History Farms is a 500-acre open air museum located in Urbandale, Iowa. The museum's mission is to educate visitors and demonstrate the past 300 hundred years of Iowa's agricultural history...
.
2010 Gubernatorial campaign and election
On August 2, 2009, the Des Moines RegisterDes Moines Register
The Des Moines Register is the daily morning newspaper of Des Moines, Iowa, in the United States. A separate edition of the Register is sold throughout much of Iowa.-History:...
reported that Branstad was actively considering running for the Republican nomination for governor.
On October 7, 2009, Branstad filed papers to run for Iowa Governor in the 2010 election. According to a poll conducted in September 2009 by The Des Moines Register, he maintained a 70% favorability rating from Iowans compared to then-current Governor Chet Culver
Chet Culver
Chester John "Chet" Culver was the 41st Governor of Iowa, from 2007 to 2011. He was also elected as the Federal Liaison for the Democratic Governors Association for 2008-2009. He founded the Chet Culver Group, an energy sector consulting firm, in 2011.-Early life and education:Culver was born in...
's rating of 50%. He may have been helped by an anti-incumbent mood.
On Tuesday June 8, 2010 Branstad won the Republican gubernatorial nomination in Iowa, but when opposing candidate Bob Vander Plaats conceded, he did not endorse Branstad.
The Des Moines Tea Party
Tea Party movement
The Tea Party movement is an American populist political movement that is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian, and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009...
gave Branstad a "no" on their report card on "criteria for acceptance" and said Branstad had "a history of raising taxes, [was] not a true conservative, and increased the size of government every year he held office, [and] built a state-owned phone company."
Branstad has been accused by former Iowa State Auditor Richard Johnson of keeping "two sets of books" on the state budget when he was governor. Johnson said Branstad needed to be "transparent" to Iowa voters about the reporting of Iowa's finances during his tenure as governor.
Electoral history
- 1982 election for Governor of Iowa:
- 1982 General Election:
-
- Terry Branstad (R), 52.8%
- Roxanne Conlin (D), 46.6%
-
- 1986 election for Governor of Iowa:
- 1986 General Election:
-
- Terry Branstad (R), 51.9%
- Lowell Junkins (D), 48.0%
-
- 1990 election for Governor of Iowa:
- 1990 General Election:
-
- Terry Branstad (R), 60.6%
- Donald Avenson (D), 38.8%
-
- 1994 election for Governor of Iowa:
- Republican Primary
-
- Terry Branstad (R), 51.8%
- Fred GrandyFred GrandyFredrick Lawrence "Fred" Grandy is a former actor best known for his role as 'Gopher' on the sitcom The Love Boat and who later became a member of the United States House of Representatives from the state of Iowa...
(R), 48.1%
-
- 1994 General Election:
-
- Terry Branstad (R), 56.8%
- Bonnie CampbellBonnie CampbellBonnie J. Campbell is an American lawyer, a former Iowa Attorney General, a former Iowa gubernatorial candidate, a former official in the U.S. Department of Justice and a former federal judicial nominee to the U.S...
(D), 41.6%
-
- 2010 election for Governor of Iowa
- Republican Primary
-
- Terry Branstad (R), 114,290 votes, 50.4%
- Bob Vander PlaatsBob Vander PlaatsRobert L. "Bob" Vander Plaats is a three-time candidate for Iowa’s governorship and former Republican nominee for lieutenant governor...
(R), 92,759, 40.9% - Rod RobertsRod RobertsRod Roberts is the director of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. Roberts is also a former Republican gubernatorial candidate and five-term Iowa State Representative from the 51st and 80th Districts. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2001 to 2011 and was an...
(R), 19,916, 8.8%
-
- 2010 General Election:
-
- Terry Branstad (R), 52.9%
- Chet CulverChet CulverChester John "Chet" Culver was the 41st Governor of Iowa, from 2007 to 2011. He was also elected as the Federal Liaison for the Democratic Governors Association for 2008-2009. He founded the Chet Culver Group, an energy sector consulting firm, in 2011.-Early life and education:Culver was born in...
(D), 43.1%
-
External links
- Governor Terry Branstad official Iowa government site
- Branstad Reynolds 2010 official campaign site
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