Reynolds makes campaign stops in Washington, Mt. Pleasant Thursday

Gov. Kim Reynolds brought her campaign to Washington and Mt. Pleasant's Hy-Vee on Thursday, Oct. 25, where she spoke about the safety of IPERS and her investment in education, job training and health care.

Reynolds who has been the Republican governor since 2017, is challenged by Democrat Fred Hubbell in a race that is expected to remain close until Election Day on Nov. 6. Reynolds encouraged voters to turn out at the polls on Election Day, bringing their family, friends and neighbors in tow.

'Iowa is a state that is getting things done,” Reynolds said. 'We really focused on helping Iowans keep more of their hard-earned money with tax cuts, while maintaining our priorities of health care, public safety and public health. We are growing jobs and wages and opportunities in every single corner of the state.”

During a gubernatorial debate, Reynolds introduced her plan for over-the-counter birth control, which would make birth control more accessible in rural Iowa and reduce the number of abortions.

'It goes hand in hand,” Reynolds said Thursday, adding she took a page from Utah, who recently passed legislature for over-the-counter birth control unanimously. 'I like the way they put that together. I think it makes a lot of sense. I'm looking forward to working with both parties next legislative session and getting that done.”

When it comes to education, Reynolds she will have to look at the revenue to make a determination on how much the state is able to put into supplemental aid. In the past, Reynolds said they have not been able to put as much into state supplemental aid as they would like. Since 2011, the state has put $765 million in new money into state supplemental aid for education and are the fourth highest-ranking state in the U.S. in the investments made in kindergarten through 12th-grade education.

'We have to make sure we're not measuring the quality by the sheer number of dollars we put into it,” Reynolds added. 'If we're not preparing kids for the job, then we're not doing our job.”

Reynolds also promised she would not touch IPERS now or in the future. The governor, who spent 19 years in local government, said she herself is counting on the retirement plan in the future and has friends and colleagues across the state counting on it as well.

'I don't have a trust fund to retire on,” Reynolds said, taking a dig at her opponent Hubbell, who Reynolds said is using 'scare tactics.”

Overall, Reynolds said Iowa is going into the next legislative session in good shape financially with a balanced budget, a full rainy-day fund and a surplus of $127 million. Legislative priorities this year will be Future Ready Iowa, mental health reform and education.

Also in attendance at the Washington Hy-Vee store were Senate hopeful Heather Hora, Congressional hopeful Christopher Peters, and House Dist. 78 Representative Jarad Klein.