Capitol Notebook: Kim Reynolds taps new head of Iowa Department of Administrative Services

DES MOINES — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds appointed a new head of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services on Wednesday after the former director resigned in August.

Mark Campbell, a business owner from Fort Dodge, will assume leadership of the department starting Oct. 6. His appointment comes after former director Adam Steen, of Runnells, resigned Aug. 19 to launch his campaign for Iowa governor. Steen had served as director since 2021.

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Campbell, a Democrat, served as a Webster County supervisor from 2013 to 2024 before losing his reelection bid last November. He also served as vice chair of the Iowa State Association of Counties board of directors and has chaired the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission since 2021.

“Mark’s career reflects his dedication to leadership, business innovation, and community progress,” Reynolds said in a press release. “He is keenly focused on doing his part to help build a stronger future for Iowa, and I know he will bring that mindset and dedication to DAS as its new leader.”

Reynolds also thanked Iowa Department of Management Director Kraig Paulsen, who has served as interim director for DAS since Steen’s resignation.

“I'm honored to be appointed by Governor Reynolds to serve as Director of the Department of Administrative Services,” Campbell said in a statement. “I look forward to working with the committed staff to ensure DAS continues to provide efficient and transparent services that support state government. DAS requires accountability and collaboration to strengthen the foundation for every agency to best serve Iowans.”

DAS manages state government resources, including human resources, general services, fleet services, the State Library of Iowa and the State Historical Society of Iowa.

Iowa Sen. Kara Warme to chair Senate Health and Human Services Committee

Sen. Kara Warme, R-Ames, will chair the Iowa Senate Health and Human Services Committee during the 2026 legislative session.

The position was formerly held by Senate Majority Leader Mike Klimesh, who was elected by his Senate colleagues to lead the chamber’s Republican caucus in September after Sen. Jack Whitver stepped down from his leadership position.

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In a statement Wednesday, Klimesh said the committee will “continue doing great work” with Warme as chair.

“After working with Senator Warme on the Health and Human Services Committee throughout this last legislative session, I am confident she will be a great leader for the committee and the critical work they do,” Klimesh said in a statement.

Warme, a nonprofit executive and substitute teacher, was elected to the Iowa Senate in November and is serving her first term in the Legislature. She served on the Iowa Senate Health and Human Services Committee during her first session.

Klimesh also appointed Sen. Dave Rowley, R-Spirit Lake, as the co-chair of the Iowa Senate Administrative Rules Review Committee, a position that Klimesh previously held.

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Rowley, elected to the Iowa Senate in 2020, currently chairs the Iowa Senate Ethics Committee and is the vice chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

“As a common-sense conservative, I know Senator Rowley will provide a vital perspective on the committee as they oversee the regulation and rule-making process of state government,” Klimesh said.

Iowa lawmakers call on U.S. agriculture secretary to bring USDA research services to the state

Top Iowa lawmakers are making the pitch for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to move its in-house research agency to the state as the government agency plans to shift its workforce away from the Washington, D.C., area and to regional hubs across the country.

In a letter sent to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Wednesday, Republican Iowa lawmakers, including Gov. Kim Reynolds, Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, and Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Ashley Hinson, Zach Nunn and Randy Feenstra, urged Rollins to move Agricultural Research Service projects to Ames.

In July, the USDA announced a plan to reduce its workforce in the Washington, D.C., area by more than half and send employees to five regional hubs, in Kansas City, Indianapolis, Colorado, Utah and North Carolina.

The lawmakers argued that Ames has one of the largest concentrations of USDA facilities and employees outside Washington. They also argued that the agency’s collaboration with Iowa State University, which they said is comparable to the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Maryland, where studies are currently conducted, could further enhance federal research.

The letter also argues Iowa’s food and fuel production, alongside its low cost of living for employees, would make it a suitable host for USDA research.

“As the heart of our nation and a leading agriculture producing state, Iowa brings firsthand knowledge and real-world experience to the USDA,” the letter states. "To put it simply, Iowa knows agriculture and would contribute unparalleled opportunities for the agency.”