Terry Branstad
Terry Branstad | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2017 | |
| 12th United States Ambassador to China | |
| In office July 12, 2017 – October 4, 2020 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Max Baucus |
| Succeeded by | R. Nicholas Burns |
| 39th and 42nd Governor of Iowa | |
| In office January 14, 2011 – May 24, 2017 | |
| Lieutenant | Kim Reynolds |
| Preceded by | Chet Culver |
| Succeeded by | Kim Reynolds |
| In office January 14, 1983 – January 15, 1999 | |
| Lieutenant | Robert Anderson Jo Ann Zimmerman Joy Corning |
| Preceded by | Robert Ray |
| Succeeded by | Tom Vilsack |
| President of Des Moines University | |
| In office August 9, 2003 – October 16, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Richard M. Ryan Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Steve Dengle[1] |
| Chair of the National Governors Association | |
| In office August 1, 1989 – July 31, 1990 | |
| Preceded by | Gerald Baliles |
| Succeeded by | Booth Gardner |
| 40th Lieutenant Governor of Iowa | |
| In office January 12, 1979 – January 14, 1983 | |
| Governor | Robert D. Ray |
| Preceded by | Arthur A. Neu |
| Succeeded by | Robert Anderson |
| Member of the Iowa House of Representatives from the 8th district | |
| In office January 8, 1973 – January 7, 1979 | |
| Preceded by | Del Stromer |
| Succeeded by | Clifford Branstad |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Terry Edward Branstad November 17, 1946 Leland, Iowa, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Christine Johnson (m. 1972) |
| Children | 3, including Eric |
| Education | University of Iowa (BA) Drake University (JD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1969–1971 |
| Unit | 503rd Military Police Battalion |
| Awards | Army Commendation Medal |
Terry Edward Branstad (born November 17, 1946) is a retired American politician and U.S. Army veteran who served as the 39th and 42nd governor of Iowa (1983–1999; 2011–2017) and the United States ambassador to China (2017–2020). A member of the Republican Party, Branstad is the longest-serving governor in United States history, with a total gubernatorial tenure of 22 years, 4 months, and 13 days.
Branstad served three terms in the Iowa House of Representatives and one term as the 40th lieutenant governor of Iowa before he was elected governor in 1982. At age 36, he was the youngest governor in Iowa history upon taking office. After 16 years as governor, he served as president of Des Moines University, a private medical osteopathic school, from 2003 to 2009. In 2010, Branstad returned to Iowa politics, running for governor again and defeating Democratic incumbent Chet Culver to become the state's 42nd governor.
In December 2016, president-elect Donald Trump nominated Branstad to serve as the United States Ambassador to China. Branstad resigned as governor of Iowa on May 24, 2017, and was sworn in as the United States ambassador to China on July 12, 2017. In 2020, Branstad resigned from his post to work on former President Trump's 2020 reelection campaign. Branstad retired from public life in 2025.