GOP leaders pick Iowa governor for State of Union response

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will deliver the Republican response to President Joe Biden's State of the Union address on March 1, GOP congressional leaders announced Tuesday.

Reynolds was praised by Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell as fighting COVID “without forgetting common sense" by protecting Iowans’ health and their rights at the same time.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said “disastrous decision-making in Washington" has been offset by real leadership in states across the country, and cited Iowa as an example.

“She handled COVID by choosing freedom over lockdowns and personal responsibility over mandates – leading to real economic recovery from the pandemic," McCarthy said.

Reynolds is the 43rd governor of Iowa and has served since May of 2017.