Jason Noble

jnoble2@dmreg.com

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad will serve as ambassador to China in the administration of President-elect Donald Trump.

The appointment, announced by Trump during a fundraiser on Wednesday and later confirmed by Branstad, represents a watershed moment in Iowa politics, signaling the close of the longest gubernatorial tenure in American history and setting the stage for the state’s first female governor.

In a statement, Trump praised Branstad’s long experience and close relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“He successfully developed close trade ties with China while serving as chief executive of the Hawkeye State,” Trump said. “That experience will serve him well as he represents America’s interests and further develops a mutually beneficial relationship with Chinese leadership.”

Branstad, in turn, said he accepted the nomination after consultation with family, and added that he and his wife, Chris, will “always keep Iowa close to our hearts.”

“I have known President Xi Jinping for many years and consider him an old friend,” Branstad said. “I look forward to building on our long friendship to cultivate and strengthen the relationship between our two countries and to benefit our economy.”

Picking Branstad as the nation’s top diplomat to the world’s largest country was rumored for weeks after Trump was elected on Nov. 8, and the governor repeatedly said he was open to the possibility if the offer was made.

Branstad, accompanied by his wife, met with Trump on Tuesday afternoon at Trump Tower in New York. The official announcement came less than 24 hours later.

The appointment highlights Branstad’s nexus between two of the world’s most powerful men. With Xi, he enjoys a relationship dating back decades, to Branstad’s first term as governor when Xi visited the state as a provincial Communist Party official. More recently, the governor was a steadfast and enthusiastic supporter of Trump’s surprising presidential nomination. Branstad’s son, Eric, ran Trump’s Iowa campaign, and with unified support from top Iowa Republicans, Trump won the state by 9 percentage points.

In addition to his close ties to Xi, Branstad has been a dogged advocate for trade and economic cooperation with China, conducting numerous trade missions to promote Iowa agriculture products.

Trump spokesman Jason Miller noted that experience in a conference call with reporters on Wednesday.

“Gov. Branstad obviously as Iowa’s long-serving governor is someone who has considerable public-policy experience but also someone who has a lot of experience and great grasp of trade issues, agriculture issues, has a tremendous understanding of China and Chinese people," Miller said. “It’s very clear that Gov. Branstad is someone who will represent our country well on the world stage.”

The statement announcing his appointment described Branstad’s role as two-fold: to negotiate “fair trade deals that create American jobs, increase American wages, and reduce America's trade deficit” and to implement “an America-First foreign policy that will advance America’s core national interests and promote regional stability.”

Branstad must be confirmed for the post by the U.S. Senate sometime after Trump is inaugurated on Jan. 20. In a statement Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, lauded Branstad as a “straight-shooter” with a “successful track record as the chief executive.”

“Those attributes would serve the United States very well if he’s confirmed for this position,” Grassley said. “He ought to be confirmed very easily.”

Beyond its effect on the nascent Trump administration and its implications for the president-elect’s foreign policy, Branstad’s appointment represents a momentous change in the Iowa political landscape.

Branstad, 70, is the longest-serving governor in American history, having served four terms in the office from 1983 to 1999 and another term and a half since 2011. He is the unquestioned leader of the Republican Party in Iowa, and widely credited with driving its electoral successes since 2010.

When he resigns to take the ambassadorship, Branstad will be succeeded by Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Reynolds, 57, has served alongside Branstad since he returned to office in 2011, playing a conspicuous public role in the administration and, according to the governor and his staff, working closely on policymaking, appointments and other key gubernatorial responsibilities.

As Branstad prepares for China, transfer of power process unfolds

She is a former state senator and county treasurer from Osceola, in southern Iowa.

Reynolds is on a family vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, this week, but issued a statement shortly after news of Branstad’s appointment was officially announced. The message went long on praise for Branstad, but also referenced her upcoming role as Iowa’s chief executive. Reynolds will cut her vacation short and return to Iowa for Trump's planned rally in Des Moines Thursday, said Ben Hammes, spokesman for Branstad.

“I have been honored to be a full partner with Gov. Branstad in this administration and know that the experience I’ve gained over the last six years has prepared me well for this next chapter of service to all Iowans,” she said.

It’s unclear for now when the transition would take place.

The timing of the ambassadorial appointment and confirmation process could keep Branstad in office for at least the beginning of the upcoming legislative session, which begins Jan. 9. That could allow him to deliver the budget proposal and Condition of the State Address in early January that outline the administration’s priorities for the coming year.

Reynolds, then, would likely take office once the 2017 legislative session is underway.

After huge GOP victories last month, that session is expected to be among the busiest and most consequential in years. Republicans won a majority in the state Senate in November, giving them control over both legislative chambers and the governor’s office for the first time in two decades.

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With that lock on the lawmaking machinery of Iowa government, the party expects to pursue several major initiatives, including tax reform, water quality improvements and, potentially, changes to the state’s collective bargaining laws.

In a statement released Wednesday, Iowa House Speaker Linda Upmeyer wished Branstad luck in his new role and praised Reynolds as an “energetic leader with years of experience working with the Legislature.”

“I look forward to continue working closely with her to make Iowa the premier place to raise a family or grow a business,” Upmeyer said.

Upmeyer’s statement also noted the historical nature of Reynolds’ elevation. With her ascendance to the governor’s office, Iowa’s first female governor, U.S. senator and speaker of the state House are all Republicans.

“Iowa Republicans continue to lead the way elevating women to public office,” Upmeyer said.

Congratulations also came from U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, a close friend of Reynolds' who got her start in state politics when she succeeded Reynolds in the Iowa Senate.

"The lieutenant governor is a tireless advocate for Iowa and travels around our great state to ensure she is hearing directly from those who know best: Iowans," Ernst said in a statement. "Iowa has been, and will continue to be, in good hands under her leadership.”

Reynolds will hold the governor’s office until Branstad’s term ends in early 2019. Even before the ambassadorship arose, she had expressed interest in running for governor on her own in 2018, had Branstad opted not to seek another term.

Entering the 2018 race as the incumbent would give Reynolds a substantial advantage in what previously was expected to be a wide-open and competitive Republican primary, several Iowa political observers said. It will afford her financial and organizational support not only from the Republican Party of Iowa but also national organizations, like the Republican Governors Association.

Branstad is a 'great pick' by Trump, officials say on social media

And, already, potential rivals are responding. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey issued a statement Wednesday indicating he would not seek the governor’s office in 2018 and encouraging Iowa Republicans to “unite” behind Reynolds.

Another potential GOP candidate, Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett, acknowledged on Tuesday that Reynolds would be a tougher opponent as the incumbent governor, and said he’s currently focused on whether to seek another term as mayor.

U.S. Rep. Steve King, meanwhile, told The Hill newspaper in Washington on Wednesday that he would consider running for governor in 2018.

Branstad has history with China. The governor first met Xi in 1985, when he was a first-term governor and Xi was a Communist Party official from China’s Hebei Province visiting Iowa to learn about agricultural techniques. The pair rekindled their friendship in 2011, when Branstad met with Xi during a trade mission to China and invited him back to the state.

Xi, then the vice president of China, accepted Branstad’s offer in 2012, attending a state dinner at the Iowa Capitol, visiting “old friends” from his initial visit in Muscatine and touring a massive farming operation in Maxwell. He became the president of China less than a year later.

Ambassador Branstad could be huge boost to Iowa-China trade

Branstad has led four trade missions to China since returning to office in 2011, including a trip to Beijing and Hebei just last month. Most of the trips were aimed at boosting Iowa’s agricultural exports to China, a world-leading consumer of soy and pork. The frequent visits and relationship with Xi mean the Chinese know and like Branstad, said Tim Albrecht, a former aide to the governor.

Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, a Democrat who has dealt with China as President Barack Obama's secretary of agriculture, called Branstad well-suited and well-prepared for the role.

“He's tenacious, and he's going to have to be; he's tireless, and he's going to have to be; and he understands and appreciates the importance of trade, and he'll have to," Vilsack said Wednesday at an event in Des Moines. "I think all the qualities that make a good ambassador, he has, especially as it relates to this particular country.”

The Associated Press contributed to this article.