New Iowa governor names Adam Gregg ?acting lieutenant gov?

DES MOINES (AP) ? Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has named Republican attorney Adam Gregg as her administration?s No. 2 leader while seeking to avoid a lawsuit over whether she has the power to name a new lieutenant governor.

Democratic Attorney General Tom Miller advised this month that the Iowa Constitution would not give Reynolds the power to name a new lieutenant governor after she succeeded Gov. Terry Branstad.

Miller?s opinion angered Reynolds, who had indicated she might appoint a new lieutenant even if it risked a legal challenge.

Reynolds said today that Gregg would be the ?acting lieutenant governor.?

Gregg will collect the lieutenant governor?s salary of $103,000 but not be in the line of succession. That means Senate President Jack Whitver would become governor if Reynolds leaves office before January 2019.