Governor’s revolt: Why Iowa’s Kim Reynolds split from Trump ahead of caucus

As the Iowa caucus nears, Reynolds has broken with tradition by endorsing a rival of former US President Donald Trump. What does she stand to gain?

For decades, it was a tradition for Iowa governors to remain neutral ahead of the state’s all-important caucuses — the first major contest of the United States presidential race.

And Republican Governor Kim Reynolds seemed poised to uphold that tradition for much of last year.

“I’m going to remain neutral,” she told Fox News in May, touting her role in welcoming all Republican presidential hopefuls, no matter who they are, to her state.

But facing pressure from Republican frontrunner Donald Trump to pick a side, Reynolds made a defiant choice: She decided to back Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over the former president, her erstwhile ally.

Now, with the Iowa caucuses only days away, her decision is being seen as a test of her power as a rising star in the Republican Party — and a high-stakes gamble that could alienate her from Trump’s broad base of supporters.