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.

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. He won the general election in November, defeating Culver by 52.9% to 43.1%.

Branstad started the 2010 race with a lead in both the primary and general elections. 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.

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. 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. 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.

## Governor of Iowa (1983–1999)

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. 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. On October 16, 2009, he said that he was leaving Des Moines University to run for governor again.

In 2001, Branstad was appointed by President George W. Bush to chair the President's Commission for Excellence in Special Education. 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, American Future Fund, Iowa Health System, Liberty Bank, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, 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. 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%.

On June 8, 2010, Branstad won the Republican primary election in Iowa; 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).

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.

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

## Post-ambassadorship

On January 24, 2023, it was announced that Branstad would take over as the new president of the World Food Prize Foundation.

## 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:**
        - Terrie 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 Grandy (R), 48.1%

- **1994 General Election:**
        - Terry Branstad (R), 56.8%
        - Bonnie Campbell (D), 41.6%
- **2010 election for Governor of Iowa:**
- **Republican Primary**
        - Terry Branstad (R), 114,290 votes, 50.4%
        - Bob Vander Plaats (R), 92,759, 40.9%
        - Rod Roberts (R), 19,916, 8.8%

- **2010 General Election:**
        - Terry Branstad (R), 52.9%
        - Chet Culver (D), 43.1%

## Other websites

- Branstad Reynolds 2010  _official campaign site_
- Terry Branstad Campaign Material by ArchivoElectoral.org

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## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: Terry Branstad
- **image**: Terry Branstad official photo.jpg
- **alt**: Picture of Terry Branstad as the 42nd Governor of Iowa
- **office**: United States Ambassador to China
- **president**: Donald Trump
- **term start**: June 26, 2017
- **term end**: October 4, 2020
- **predecessor**: Max Baucus
- **successor**: R. Nicholas Burns
- **order1**: List of Governors of Iowa, 39th & 42nd
- **office1**: Governor of Iowa
- **lieutenant1**: Kim Reynolds
- **term start1**: January 14, 2011
- **term end1**: May 24, 2017
- **predecessor1**: Chet Culver
- **successor1**: Kim Reynolds
- **lieutenant2**: Robert T. Anderson, Robert Anderson
Jo Ann Zimmerman
Joy Corning
- **term start2**: January 14, 1983
- **term end2**: January 15, 1999
- **predecessor2**: Robert D. Ray, Robert Ray
- **successor2**: Tom Vilsack
- **office3**: Chair of the National Governors Association
- **term start3**: August 1, 1989
- **term end3**: July 31, 1990
- **predecessor3**: Gerald L. Baliles, Gerald Baliles
- **successor3**: Booth Gardner
- **office4**: 41st Lieutenant Governor of Iowa
- **governor4**: Robert D. Ray, Robert Ray
- **term start4**: January 12, 1979
- **term end4**: January 14, 1983
- **predecessor4**: Arthur A. Neu, Arthur Neu
- **successor4**: Robert T. Anderson, Robert Anderson
- **state house5**: Iowa
- **district5**: 8th
- **term start5**: January 8, 1973
- **term end5**: January 7, 1979
- **predecessor5**: Del Stromer
- **successor5**: Clifford Branstad
- **birth name**: Terry Edward Branstad
- **birth place**: Leland, Iowa, Leland, Iowa, United States, U.S.
- **party**: Republican Party (United States), Republican
- **spouse**: Christine Johnson
- **children**: 3
- **residence**: Terrace Hill
- **education**: University of Iowa
Drake University
- **unit**: 503rd Military Police Battalion
- **serviceyears**: 1969–1971
- **mawards**: Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal