Iowa U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson says she will not run for governor in 2026

Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson said she will not run for governor in 2026.

Hinson, of Marion, said in a statement Tuesday while “humbled by the outpouring of support and encouragement from people all across Iowa” encouraging her to run for the statewide office, she is committed to her work in Washington, D.C.

"After much prayer and conversation with family and friends, I have decided to stay focused on my mission in Washington, working with President (Donald) Trump to Make America Great Again,“ Hinson said. ”We have a unique, once-in-a-generation opportunity to make real, lasting change in our country right now, and I’m committed to the fight to make Washington run more like Iowa."

Hinson was among a group of Iowa Republicans expected to be considering whether to run to replace Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who earlier this month announced she will not seek another term.

Fellow Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks issued a statement earlier this month saying she is not exploring a gubernatorial run.

"I am focused on serving the people of Iowa's First Congressional District and working to reauthorize the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, lower prescription drug prices, protect our farmland from the Chinese Communist Party, and protect women's sports,“ Miller-Meeks said. ”We have great potential candidates to come forward in the next few weeks to fill the huge shoes of Governor Reynolds. I look forward to working with President Trump and my colleagues to keep Iowa red and not let progressives destroy the state we love."

Hinson said she is “committed to electing a conservative governor in Iowa.”

A handful of Republicans have publicly expressed interest in running. They include Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley, state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann and state Sen. Mike Bousselot. Bousselot recently launched an exploratory campaign to test the feasibility of becoming a candidate.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig have said they are thinking about the decision.

As of now, former one-term Republican state lawmaker Brad Sherman, a pastor from Williamsburg, is the only declared Republican candidate for governor.

On the Democratic side, Paul Dahl, of Webster City, who previously ran unsuccessfully for governor and Congress, announced his candidacy in November. State Auditor Rob Sand, a potential Democratic candidate for governor, has not yet announced his intentions for 2026.

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