DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Sen. Chris Cournoyer will serve as Iowa’s next lieutenant governor, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced at the Iowa State Capitol Monday. 

Cournoyer, who currently represents District 35 located north of Davenport. She is a small business owner and a substitute teacher, according to her profile on the Iowa Senate Republicans website. She served on the Technology (Chair), State Government (Vice Chair), Education, Natural Resources and Environment, Transportation, Ways and Means committees. She also served as the Vice Chair on the Education Appropriations subcommittee.

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Cournoyer replaces former Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg, who resigned from the position in September, saying he was choosing to spend more time with his family. Gregg served as lieutenant governor for more than six years after Reynolds appointed him to the role in 2017. Together, Reynolds and Gregg won two full terms to office: 2018 and 2022. 

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig provided the following statement after the appointment:

“Governor Reynolds is a champion for Iowa’s farmers, agribusinesses and our rural communities and she has made a strong selection in choosing Chris Cournoyer as Iowa’s next Lieutenant Governor. As a State Senator, Chris Cournoyer was a strong supporter of Iowa agriculture, and I have no doubt that she will bring the same leadership to her new role as we work to keep Iowa moving forward. I am excited to work with Governor Reynolds and Lieutenant Governor Cournoyer to grow markets for Iowa products, accelerate our conservation and water quality efforts, and make Iowa an even better place to live, work, and raise a family.”