Iowa's Terry Branstad Becomes Longest-Serving Governor In U.S. History

Dec. 14 is a historic date not only for Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, but also for the United States of America. For it is on this day that the six-term Republican completed 7,642 days of service as governor, a wee bit less than 21 years in office. Branstad moved ahead of former New York Gov. George Clinton, who served during the pre-Constitution era, as the longest-serving governor in U.S. history.

"He's everywhere. People say he came to our ribbon cutting. Everybody feels they know him," said Bonnie Campbell, a former Democratic attorney general who ran unsuccessfully against Branstad in 1994, reports the New York Daily News.

The title of being the longest-serving governor is just another feather in the Republican governor's cap. He has never lost an election in the 20 times that he has run. When Branstad was elected governor in 1982 at the age of 35, he became Iowa's youngest ever governor, reports The Washington Post.

Branstad's milestone was acknowledged across the political spectrum, especially among GOP presidential candidates. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Rick Santorum, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker were among many who took to Twitter to congratulate Branstad on his achievement.

As for Branstad, he has refused to support any GOP candidate, though he has predicted that GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump would lose the Iowa caucus.

"I think it will change between now and Feb. 1. I have a lot of confidence in the Iowa voters in making that decision," Branstad told CNN's Chris Cuomo.

Tags

Iowa, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Donald Trump