Linn County Supervisor Calls Out Kim Reynolds’ Failed Record in New Op-Ed

“The only legacy [Reynolds] is leaving behind is a decade of failure — and Linn County residents are living it every day.”

DES MOINES – Ahead of Kim Reynolds kicking off her so-called “legacy tour” in Cedar Rapids today, Linn County Supervisor Sami Scheetz penned a new op-ed in The Gazette to call out Reynolds’ record of failure and how the Republicans running to replace her would only keep Iowa on her failed path.

Randy Feenstra, Adam Steen, Zach Lahn, Brad Sherman, and Eddie Andrews are running to continue Reynolds’ failed policies that have crushed Iowa’s economy, shortchanged our schools, and made it harder to get health care. As Supervisor Scheetz warns, “we can’t afford to hand the keys to candidates who will deliver more of the same.”

Read Supervisor Scheetz’ full op-ed in The Gazette here, or key points below:

• Kim Reynolds, the most unpopular governor in the country, is kicking off her so-called “legacy” tour here in Cedar Rapids today. A more honest name for it would be Reynolds’ “Apology Tour,” because the only legacy she’s leaving behind is a decade of failure — and Linn County residents are living it every day.

• Under Reynolds’ leadership, Iowa now ranks last in the country for economic growth and 44th for hourly wages, worst in the Midwest. Working families here in Cedar Rapids are paying more for health care, food, housing, and clothing — and falling further behind. Years of fiscal mismanagement have left Iowa with a $1.2 billion budget deficit, and Linn County families are bearing the consequences.

• Reynolds’ unaccountable school voucher program is making it worse. It funnels taxpayer dollars to nearly all of Iowa’s private schools while forcing public schools in Cedar Rapids to foot the bill and cut the programs our kids depend on. The Republicans running to replace her — Randy Feenstra, Adam Steen, Zach Lahn, Brad Sherman, and Eddie Andrews — all support it.

• Meanwhile, Linn County residents are getting sicker and losing access to care. Linn County hosted a town hall at the Cedar Rapids Public Library where health care providers laid out exactly what Republican cuts mean for our neighbors. Eastern Iowa Health Center — which serves 17,000 patients, seven out of ten of whom rely on Medicaid — is facing a potential funding loss of up to $3 million. 

• Feenstra voted to put health care for 26,886 of our neighbors in Eastern Iowa on the chopping block and put 20 rural hospitals at serious risk of closure. Planned Parenthood closed here in Cedar Rapids, forcing women to pay more and travel farther for basic care.

• Through all of it, Reynolds found $4.6 million in taxpayer dollars for a secret state-owned plane and admitted she doesn’t feel bad about using it to fly to political events on our dime. Next stop: Cedar Rapids.

• Linn County’s working families deserve better than a decade of rising costs, underfunded schools, and shrinking access to health care. In 2026, we have a real chance to change course — and we can’t afford to hand the keys to candidates who will deliver more of the same.

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