Adam Gregg, who served as Iowa’s lieutenant governor since 2017, announced that he was resigning from the position on Sept. 3 to focus on family.
In a press release by the office of Gov. Kim Reynolds, Gregg’s resignation was announced and attributed to Gregg pursuing “a career opportunity that allows him to focus more on his family.” Gregg accepted a position as the president and CEO of the Iowa Bankers Association.
Prior to holding office as the lieutenant governor, Gregg served as the Iowa Public Defender and ran a campaign for Iowa Attorney General in 2014.
In the press release, Reynolds, who will appoint Gregg’s replacement, supported his decision.
“This most certainly is the right decision for Adam, and I wish him, Cari and their children only the best,” Reynolds said.
Andrew Storey, a senior in journalism and mass communication and treasurer of Turning Point USA, also supported this decision.
“I am glad to see that a person is willing to prioritize their family in this day and age,” Storey said. “We need more men that are willing to put in the time to be good dads. That is an admirable quality and something more people should take note of.”
Until Reynolds appoints a new lieutenant governor, the president of the Iowa Senate, Amy Sinclair, will hold the position.
According to Dave Peterson, a professor of political science, the role of lieutenant governor varies by state but is not a busy position.
“Sometimes a governor will expand the portfolio of the lieutenant governor a little bit, ask them to, you know, spearhead some initiatives or something,” Peterson said. “But, there aren’t that many actual responsibilities of the job.”
Reynolds was recently on a 10-day trade mission in India and announced that she would not pick her new lieutenant governor close to her trip, according to the Des Moines Register.
“I think that’s a reasonable time,” Peterson said. “Waiting isn’t that big of a deal. So assuming nothing happens to Gov. Reynolds, it is not that big of an issue to have that position vacant.”
Jackson Haugh, a senior in political science and the president of the Political Science Club, said that he believes this vacancy will be insignificant.
“I didn’t know the lieutenant governor stepped down,” Haugh said. “I think there’s a small percentage chance that somebody dies and then they become governor, but other than that there is really no change. It’s just business as usual.”
Addison Sleezer, a sophomore in animal science and the parliamentarian for College Democrats, said that she was unaware of this event.
“This is the first I have heard of this, so I am assuming this is brand new information,” Sleezer said.
Storey emphasized that he did not think many people could name the former lieutenant governor.
“I’m not sure how many people even know who the lieutenant governor is,” Storey said.
Reynolds and former Gov. Terry Branstad each served as a lieutenant governor before taking the governor’s office. Although they share this connection, Peterson said that other positions are better indicators of a likely gubernatorial campaign.
“It hasn’t been the most high-profile position, you know,” Peterson said. “I think a position like attorney general is a more obvious stepping stone to running for governor.”
Both Peterson and Haugh agreed that it is unlikely that Reynolds’ pick will sway a tremendous number of people should she run a reelection campaign for the 2026 governorship.
“I don’t think people are looking at lieutenant governors when they’re voting,” Haugh said.
Storey also said that having a lieutenant governor is more of a formality than a divisive political decision.
“It’s kind of like the people talking about how the VP pick matters for the president,” Storey said. “It doesn’t. It’s just a formality. You need someone to fill the position, but they don’t really do anything. They’re just there in case something happens to the governor.”
Sleezer said she had not seen any media coverage of this issue appear in her feed.
“Those algorithms are very powerful,” Sleezer said. “I have not seen anything like I have a Microsoft feed on my computer, and it hasn’t shown me anything for it.”
To encourage students to stay engaged with politics, Sleezer urged students to push their mindsets and consider why their mindsets exist.
“It is up to those who are passionate about politics to reach out to them because they are more likely to not do the work,” Sleezer said.
Haugh also offered advice for students looking to stay involved in politics.
“Watch the debates, come to Political Science Club, read the news, not the headlines,” Haugh said. “If you’re getting your news from TikTok or one news source, maybe diversify a little bit.”
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Publish date : 2024-09-22 19:10:00
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