Terry Branstad
Terry Edward Branstad (born November 17, 1946) is an American politician and former diplomat. A member of the Republican Party, he served three terms in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1973 to 1979 before serving as governor of Iowa from 1983 to 1999 and again from 2011 to 2017. He is the longest-serving governor in United States history. Branstad served as the United States Ambassador to China from 2017 to 2020 under President Donald Trump.
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 |
| 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 | |
| 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 |
Branstad served as the 39th governor of Iowa from 1983 to 1999. Following this initial retirement from politics, 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. His tenure of 22 years, 4 months, and 13 days makes him the longest-serving governor in American history, having surpassed George Clinton's record of 20 years, 11 months, and 2 days in 14 December 2015.
In December 2016, Branstad accepted President Donald Trump's nomination 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 as Ambassador to China in order to work on President Trump's 2020 reelection campaign.
On January 24, 2023, it was announced that Branstad would take over as the new president of the World Food Prize Foundation.