As Gov. Kim Reynolds nears the end of her term as governor, she made the first stop of her “Legacy Tour” March 12 in The Hotel at Kirkwood Center in Cedar Rapids with more than 100 attendees.

Reynolds is traveling across the state to celebrate her leadership during her time in office and raise money for the Republican Party of Iowa, with her next stop will be in Davenport on April 30. 

Reynolds said she is still awestruck to find herself sitting as the governor of Iowa, nearly nine years after her first day in office. 

“Every single day, there’s just some amazing thing that happens that just reminds me how lucky I am to be an Iowan and then to be able to serve in this capacity,” she said. “I do think if you ever lose sight of that, then it’s probably time to maybe think about doing something different.”

Reynolds said to her, it is more important to focus on caring for the state rather than aiming to leave a legacy in the history books. 

“I never think of it from that perspective,” she said. “I am project driven. I love making a difference. I love looking at ways we can do things better, and bringing everybody on board, and then just hitting the ground and getting it done.”

Reynolds said she has had especially good fortune in her time as governor because her office has a good relationship with the Republican controlled House and Senate; a trifecta that could halt state legislation if they can’t find common ground.

U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, arrived at the tour late, saying she had been welcoming home soldiers from the 34th Infantry Division of the Iowa Army National Guard, known as the Red Bulls, returning from deployment in the Middle East. 

“We are so blessed that we had 92 in this regiment that came home,” she said. “These are the ones that came home safe. Obviously, it was a very somber moment for us as a delegation.”

Hinson’s welcome home comes after two native Iowan U.S. Army Reserve members, Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien and Sgt. Declan Coady, were killed in action from a drone strike in Kuwait, according to AP News.

After taking a moment of silence for the soldiers, Hinson said Republicans in the U.S. House have passed major tax reforms, sped up government approval for construction projects, and passed policy reforms that are reshaping the way the federal government runs. 

“I’m committed to stand up for you and keep fighting, just like our fabulous governor has fought for you,” she said. “Kim, I am just so blessed to have you as a great partner, to work alongside of and as a member of your federal delegation.”

Jeff Kaufmann, chair of the Republican Party of Iowa and former state representative, said throughout her time in office, Reynolds has led in five points that Republicans stand for.

RELATED: Reynolds signs $82 million K-12 funding increase into law

Kaufmann said the points consist of supporting the Trump administration’s effort to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, restricting transgender citizens from using women’s locker rooms, deporting undocumented immigrants, requiring a photo ID for voting, and correcting the trade differential with China through tariffs. 

“And as we’re entering into this campaign in 2026, obviously Gov. Reynolds is not on the ballot, but she is still on the train,” he said. 

Outside the building were dozens of protesters bundled up from the onslaught of evening wind, gathering honks from passing cars and holding signs denouncing Reynolds.

The protest was organized by Terra Hernandez with the Iowa Democratic Party. 

One of the protesters, Patricia Bowen, said she disapproved of the legacy event because she believes Reynolds has not done enough to provide the state with clean drinking water or adequate funding for public schools. Bowen said she especially has restricted civil rights for LGBTQ+ citizens. 

“I really believe children need to be around all kinds of people so they recognize that the country is made up of all kinds of people,” she said. 

Although Bowen said she looks forward to Iowa getting a new governor in November, she believes the primary party system tends to support fringe candidates who do not represent the common citizen. 

Bowen said coming from a family of educators, she is opposed to the Trump administration’s cuts to staff and oversight of the U.S. Department of Education. 

“I personally am very troubled by President Trump’s actions,” she said. “It concerns me greatly that the governor has attached herself with Trump and is not thinking independently to represent Iowans.”

Bowen said Iowa is far away from the state it was when she was growing up, and emerging trends such as Iowa becoming the second most cancer prone state in the nation, according to a 2025 report from the Iowa Cancer Registry, have caused young adults like her own daughter to leave the state. 

“I feel strongly about some of this, not because I think Reynolds is a terrible person, but I don’t think she’s been a good governor,” she said. 

Reynolds has five more stops for her legacy tour, wrapping up in Sioux City on Sept. 10. The general election for Iowa’s new governor is scheduled for Nov. 3. 

“We do have a really important election coming up,” Reynolds said. “We don’t get a chance to do any of this without all of you in this room, so keep showing up.”