AP photo Gov. Kim Reynolds speaks during a rally with presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Nov. 6 in Des Moines.

After being re-elected to the Iowa House of Representatives (2009) I met newly elected Iowa Senator Kim Reynolds where some of us bipartisan “veteran” legislators were giving advice to newly elected delegates. My next interaction with Ms. Reynolds was after being appointed by Gov. Terry Branstad — confirmed by Senate 49-0 — to serve as Vice-Chair of the Iowa Board of Parole (IBP). When I was promoted to IBP’s Chair, I met quite frequently with Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds apprising them of the progressive measures IBP was undertaking.

Two recent surveys (Oct. 31 and Nov. 27) by Morning Consult identified Ms. Reynolds as America’s most unpopular governor: “her unpopularity increased partly because of a surge in negative sentiment among independent and Republican voters during a year in which she signed a strict anti-abortion law and took a lashing from former President Donald Trump …”

What has happened to Iowa since Ms. Reynolds assumed the office of governor on May 24, 2017?

1 — The Iowa Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Gov. Reynolds violated Iowa’s public records law, causing Iowa’s citizens to fork over $174,108.75 in attorney fees to settle three lawsuits. Thomas Story, ACLU of Iowa attorney, stated “Nobody’s above the law. It starts at the top …” (Iowa Public Radio).

2 — During the FY 2014-FY 2023 time period when Ms. Reynolds served as Iowa’s Lt. Gov. or Gov., over $108 million has been spent (Iowa taxpayers hard-earned-money) to settle lawsuit claims. She, her GOP legislators’ and employees’ actions have cost Iowa citizens dearly.

3 — Iowa ranks 49th in the nation for its ratio of inspectors to care facilities as per US Senate Special Committee on Aging (Iowa Capital Dispatch).

4 — Families for Better Care ranked Iowa nursing homes as 37th in America; staffing shortages exist in 42 percent of Iowa nursing homes (Radio Iowa).

5 — The National Center for Education Statistics notes 6.6 percent of Iowa’s K-12 students (19,226) are homeschooled, whereby Gov. Reynolds approved there would be no curriculum standards, no required learning assessments, no abuse record checks on parent-teachers and no attendance monitoring; accountability is void.

6 — Iowa ranks #29 on public education funding. Despite Iowa desperately needing to improve K-12 public school funding, Gov. Reynolds and the GOP-controlled legislature allocated $107 million to pay for private school vouchers, which could result in a potential loss of $54 million in state aid to public schools (Bleeding Heartland). Note: 62 percent of Iowans oppose the school choice law (Selzer & Co. poll).

7 — Iowa ranked as the 12th most obese state in 2022; Iowa’s House, Senate and Governor – all GOP-controlled — passed legislation tightening SNAP program rules that helps lower-income families afford more nutritional foods and requires an asset test, potentially kicking thousands of recipients off the SNAP program.

8 — Under Gov. Reynold’s unbridled leadership, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services has failed to comply on 50 of 65 (77 percent) standards from Iowa’s 2022 contract with America’s Justice Department in operating the state-run Glenwood Resource Center for people with disabilities (Iowa Capital Dispatch).

9 — Gov. Reynolds and the GOP legislature shifted the local property tax levy for mental health care to the state general fund causing Iowa to now rank #50 in the nation for staffing psychiatric beds and 96 percent below recommended standards (North Scott Press).

These are just 10 examples of Ms. Reynolds governing a state that ranks 30th in population. Imagine Gov. Reynolds being Vice-President, a Congressperson or holding a Cabinet position. Oh, Lordy, no!

Many would argue Gov. Reynolds has met the long-held and revered business definition of the Peter Principle: “rising to a level of respective incompetence,” rightly earning the label as America’s most unpopular governor.

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Doris J. Kelley is the Emerita Iowa House of Representatives and Emerita Chair & Vice-Chair – Iowa Board of Parole.