DES MOINES, Iowa (WHO) — Iowa’s Lt. Governor Chris Cournoyer announced she is running for Iowa State Auditor Tuesday morning.
Cournoyer, a Republican, was appointed Lt. Governor in December of 2024 by Gov. Kim Reynolds after the previous Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg resigned in September 2024 to head the Iowa Bankers Association.
In Tuesday’s campaign announcement, Cournoyer called for the Auditor’s Office to be used as a watchdog for taxpayers and not a political weapon.
“It’s time for an Auditor who prioritizes transparency, efficiency, and results over headlines and partisanship,” said Cournoyer.
Iowa’s current State Auditor, Rob Sand, is the only Democrat to hold statewide office and has been critical of the Republican-controlled legislature and Gov. Reynolds for passing SF 478.
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Sand has not made a public announcement about his political plans for the future, but it is widely expected that he will run for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
Sand for Iowa Spokesperson Sam Roecker released a statement in response to Cournoyer’s campaign announcement, “Auditor Sand is proud of creating a tri-partisan leadership team that has always included people who contributed to his 2018 opponent, the government efficiency program they created, and the fact that they uncovered a record amount of misspent money in his first term before Senator Cournoyer and others created a new law that gutted their ability to find misspent money.”
Gov. Reynolds is backing Cournoyer with her endorsement. “Chris is a true fiscal conservative with a strong record of improving government efficiencies and accountability. Her background in technology and her unwavering commitment to taxpayers makes her an ideal watchdog every Iowan can trust. Iowans can rest assured Chris Cournoyer will always have their best interests at heart,” stated Reynolds.
Cournoyer was serving in the Iowa Senate when she was tapped for the Lt. Gov. role. She has been in the Iowa Senate since 2019 with her latest term representing District 35 expiring in January of 2025. An advocate for STEM skills, Cournoyer is a member of the Iowa Governor’s STEM council. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science from the University of Texas and is a website developer and designer.