Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds is cutting short a family vacation to appear alongside Gov. Terry Branstad at an Iowa rally for President-elect Donald Trump. Ben Hammes, a spokesman for Branstad, says Reynolds will attend a Thursday night rally in Des Moines that will feature Branstad, Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence. Hammes says Reynolds is traveling to Des Moines sometime between Wednesday and Thursday.
Trump announced his pick of Branstad for ambassador to China on Wednesday at a Manhattan fundraiser.
A Trump transition spokesman confirmed that Branstad had accepted the nomination.
Branstad aides didn’t respond to questions Wednesday about the matter.
Branstad will face a U.S. Senate confirmation process that could take weeks as Trump himself prepares to be sworn in as president. When Branstad resigns as governor, he’ll be replaced by Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, making her the first female governor of Iowa.
Branstad will join Trump at a rally in Des Moines Thursday.