KDSN RADIO News
Reynolds says she turned to prayer during ‘internal battle’ over 2026 decision
Governor Kim Reynolds says she spent ”a whole lot of time” praying as she weighed whether to run for reelection.
“This was an internal battle, and sometimes those can be the most challenging to overcome,” Reynolds said. “…God knows what we need before we even ask for it, and his answers are always right, even when they mean leaving what you love behind for the promise of something greater.”
Reynolds, who announced last Friday she would not seek reelection in 2026, spoke this morning at the annual Iowa Prayer Breakfast. Reynolds thanked the crowd for praying for her husband, Kevin, after he was diagnosed with lung cancer in the fall of 2023. The governor announced nearly a year later that her husband’s cancer was in remission.
Kevin Reynolds delivered the opening prayer at today’s event. “Dear Heavenly Father, you are good and holy,” Kevin Reynolds said. “Thank you for bringing us together today to celebrate the power of prayer.”
The governor got a standing ovation from the crowd when she was introduced. Reynolds spoke for less than five minutes, and her remarks were centered on the topic of prayer. “Prayer anchors us. It slows us down in a fast world,” she said. “It softens our hearts in hard moments and it reminds us that we’re never alone.”
The event’s keynote speaker was Ervin Lutzer, a retired minister from the Chicago area who’s the host of two syndicated radio programs — “Running to Win” and “Songs in the Night.”
“Not all the governors of the various states would be comfortable at a prayer time like this…Give her a hand, OK?” Lutzer said, and he led the crowd in applause.
Several legislators, state agency directors, Lieutenant Governor Chris Cournoyer, and State Auditor Rob Sand attended the event.
