Former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad believes Iowa will prosper during the second term of President Donald Trump.

The Republican Party of Polk County celebrated Trump’s inauguration by holding a fundraiser at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates.

Trump, the 45th president, was sworn in as the 47th president Monday afternoon in Washington, D.C., after he defeated Kamala Harris in November’s general election.

Branstad and Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann opened the cocktail mixer in Des Moines Monday evening by making remarks.

The fundraiser coincided with other inauguration balls happening in Washington Monday night. Nearby, the Iowa Women of Achievement Bridge lit up in red, white and blue to celebrate the new president’s inauguration.

“Donald Trump carried Iowa three times, and we’re proud of that,” Branstad told the crowd of a few dozen people. “And a lot of sweat, not only for that, but for all these other Republicans who’ve been elected.”

Kaufman told the crowd that Polk County is important for the Iowa Republican Party.

“This is Iowa’s largest county,” Kaufman said. “This is important what goes on here.”

What did Trump say during his inauguration?

In a speech after he was sworn in at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Trump said “America’s decline is over.”

He outlined a series of sweeping executive orders he later signed to curb immigration, boost fossil fuel production and roll back environmental regulations, the first steps in enacting a far-reaching agenda that would reshape the government while testing the limits of presidential authority.

He said he was declaring a national emergency at the southern border with Mexico, dispatching troops there and resuming a policy forcing asylum-seeking migrants to wait in Mexico for their U.S. court hearings — all a prelude to what he described as an unprecedented operation to deport millions of immigrants.

“All illegal entry will be immediately halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came,” Trump said.

Trump is the first president in more than a century to win a second term after losing the White House and the first felon to occupy the Oval Office.

The Iowa Chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation — a democratic-socialist party — planned a protest of Trump’s policies at the Iowa State Capitol Monday evening. But the protest was postponed until 2 p.m. Saturday because of temperatures around 1 degree at 5 p.m.

Republicans are now the working class party, Branstad said

Branstad, 78, served as the U.S. Ambassador to China from 2017 to 2020 during Trump’s first term. Trump expanded party, Branstad said.

Kaufmann became the Iowa GOP Chair in 2014. Kaufmann also worked to diversify the party, Branstad said.

“It used to be the Democrats were the party of the working people, and we were the party of business,” Branstad said. “Today we’re the party of working people and business, and we’re electing Republicans in a lot of areas that you didn’t used to elect Republicans.”

The Iowa Republican party is in its strongest place in the last 50 years with a Republican as governor, supermajorities in the Iowa House and Senate, Kaufmann said. As a result the party is adding people, he said.

“We’ve grown the amount of Republicans we have in this state,” Kaufmann said. “We’ve kept essentially everyone that was in our base, and Donald Trump has added to our blue-collar roots.”

What other Iowa politicians said about Trump’s inauguration

In a statement Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart said Trump’s inauguration gave Iowans the chance to recommit to freedom, justice, equality and opportunities for all people.

“Inauguration days are a celebration of new beginnings and an opportunity to inspire the country and unify the American people,” Hart said in a statement. “We celebrate the peaceful transfer of power that defines our democracy. Our nation is strong and resilient and our people have the desire and the power to come together to chart the course of our future.”

U.S. Rep Zach Nunn, a Republican, said that he hopes to work with Trump to rebuild the country’s economy, secure the U.S.-Mexico border and cut taxes “for middle class families.”

“The American people look to our leaders to deliver results and solve the many crises affecting our country,” Nunn said in a statement. “Together, we will make meaningful progress toward a stronger, more prosperous future for all Americans.”

Reuters contributed to this report.

Philip Joens covers retail and real estate for the Des Moines Register. He can be reached at 515-284-8184, pjoens@registermedia.com or on Twitter @Philip_Joens.

The Iowa high school girls state swimming and diving meet is moving east.

For 21 years, the event has been held at the Marshalltown YMCA, but that will change starting in the fall of 2025. The new location will be the University of Iowa’s Campus and Recreation and Wellness Center.

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) board of directors approved the move, according to a release posted by the union on Monday.

The move puts the girls’ event at the same location as the IHSAA boys state swimming meet. The natatorium has hosted national meets, as well, like the 2015 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships and the USA Diving Regionals.

“We are excited to have the University of Iowa’s Campus Recreation and Wellness Center hosting the Girls State Swimming and Diving Championships,” IGHSAU executive director Erin Gerlich said in Monday’s statement.

“Iowa City, Coralville and the Iowa City Sports Commission provide outstanding support for all the state events they host for us. They will paint the town pink for our swimmers and divers next November.”

The 2025 girls state swimming and diving meet will be held Nov. 14-15.

This was one of two high school sports changes announced on Monday.

The boards of the IGHSAU and Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) approved joint changes for soccer to take effect in the upcoming 2025 regular season and postseason. Those changes include: no overtime periods for any regular-season match at any level, a running clock starting with a 10-goal differential, and new weather delay and yellow card guidances that align with the NFHS Soccer Rulebook.

Iowa saw a slight drop in traffic fatalities last year, but the Iowa State Patrol, bicycling advocates and lawmakers hope to reduce those numbers significantly in 2025 by passing a bill that would ban electronic devices while driving.

There were 354 deaths on Iowa’s roads in 2024, down from 378 the year before, according to data from the Iowa Department of Transportation. Yet that number is too high, officials say, as they make a renewed push this legislative session for lawmakers to pass what’s known as a hands-free bill, something Gov. Kim Reynolds called for in her Condition of State address last week.

“That’s 354 fatalities too many,” Iowa State Patrol spokesperson Sgt. Alex Dinkla told the Register. “We don’t want to continue seeing fatalities happen in our roadways. We’re out here working the road and making sure our roadways are safe each and every day.”

It’s already illegal while driving in Iowa to use a cellphone “to write, send or view an electronic message,” like a text message. But a bill introduced in the Senate last week would fully ban drivers from using electronic devices like cellphones, except in voice activated or hands-free mode.

Beyond distracted driving, the Iowa State Patrol says drivers and passengers failing to wear seatbelts contributed to 43% of last year’s fatalities. One the Iowa State Patrol’s goals this year is to look at each of the 354 deaths to find any correlations, Dinkla said.

“We want to find out why these are happening or if there are certain areas where these fatalities are happening the most,” Dinkla said.

In November 2023, the Iowa State Patrol worked with the Iowa Department of Transportation to implement six traffic safety corridors across the state, Dinkla said. The six areas were marked in the top 1% for all of Iowa crashes from 2016-2020.

The safety corridors have signs that indicate that there is an increased law enforcement presence for the next 20 miles. Data shows there has been a reduction in crashes in the safety corridors, Dinkla said, and the Iowa State Patrol could implement more in the future.

Iowans support hands-free law, Iowa State Patrol finds

Looking forward to the Iowa legislative session, authorities are again asking lawmakers to pass a bill that would ban distracted driving. Drivers who use hand-held devices while driving are four times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves or others, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation.

“We’ve been working on trying to legislate and educate the public on the dangers of distracted driving,” Dinkla said. “We know that it’s a device that is causing crashes and it’s leading to crashes.”

Iowa authorities have been looking at other states that have passed hands-free bills, such as Minnesota and Illinois, who Dinkla said saw reductions in crashes after their laws went into effect.

The Iowa State Patrol conducted a survey at the Iowa State Fair and found that 85% of respondents were in support of hands-free driving, Dinkla said.

“The more we wait to not make Iowa a hands-free state, we’re going to continue to see fatalities rise from people driving in an inappropriate and inexcusable manner,” he said.

Reynolds said in her speech she supports hands-free driving legislation that would ban distracted driving. Legislation has previously passed in the Senate but stalled in the House.  

“I want to address another important topic about cellphones that we need to finally resolve: hands-free driving,” Reynolds said as she also advocated for a cellphone ban in Iowa’s classrooms. “Cellphones are a distraction in the classroom; they’re deadly on the highway.”

In attendance was the family of Roland Taylor, a man who was killed by a distracted driver two years ago. Reynolds said the driver was on his phone seven out of the nine minutes he was driving before the crash.

The governor met Taylor’s wife and his two daughters over the summer, she said. The family told Reynolds they don’t want any other family to go what they’ve been through and have been strong advocates for a hands-free law.

“For the sake of all our loved ones on the road, let’s finally pass legislation that requires drivers to keep their eyes on the road and away from their phones,” Reynolds said.

House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, said Democrats “stand ready to support” legislation.

“It’s safer for drivers, safer for workers and safer for people who are on the roads, walking or riding their bikes,” she said. “It is a no-brainer, and the reason it’s not getting out of the Iowa House is because Republicans can’t agree on what we need to do, and Democrats are ready to help.”

Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, agreed.

“The Senate passed it last time, 47 to 3,” she said. “I imagine the Senate will pass it again, and I would also add that it will save lives, and it’s been a law enforcement priority for some time.”

Top Republican lawmakers had generally positive reactions to Reynolds’ proposal for the legislation when speaking to reporters Tuesday night.

Senate lawmakers already have introduced their own bill, Senate File 22. The measure is sponsored by 17 Republican senators, or half the caucus.

Senate President Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, said, “it’s been the year for hands-free in the Senate for several years,” pointing to the Senate’s past passage of similar legislation.

“I think the governor coming out with it brings it to the forefront. You know, I think it’s important that that we look at the data, and the data say that distracted driving takes lives. And that’s not my opinion, it’s not the governor’s opinion, it’s reality. And I look forward to the House coming on board and seeing where we can go with that.”

House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, said the House has made “multiple attempts” to pass different versions of the legislation over the years. But the measure has never passed the chamber. He said he expects to have a conversation about the bill again this year.

“I can say, for me personally I’ve kind of moved into a position of, if we can do something in a responsible way, and look at what some other states have done to find a balance, I think it’s something that I would be supportive of,” he said.

Hands-free bill would make Iowa the best place it can be, advocate says

Legislation banning the use of electronic devices while driving has failed to pass in the Iowa Legislature for several years, despite repeated advocacy efforts from law enforcement, and other groups, such as cyclists.

Luke Hoffman, director the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, a statewide assemblage of cycling interests, said its agenda this year is topped by an all-out push to pass long-sought legislation requiring that drivers’ use of communications devices like cellphones be hands-free while they’re at the wheel. 

Hoffman has been an advocate for banning distracted driving for a long time and was even involved in a crash while cycling last summer, he told the Register. A truck whose driver was distracted by his dog swerved and sideswiped Hoffman, who managed to stay upright but suffered shock and bruising.

More: Luke Hoffman of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition seeks to make Iowa a ‘world capital’ of cycling

Hoffman has spoken to families that were affected by distracted drivers and has been trying to support the hands-free bill for the safety of those on the road, he said.

“I was very cognizant of the impacts and had seen the personal results of a lack of this law, but it was a different thing to be personally impacted,” Hoffman said. “I think it definitely needs to be done for our state if we want to make it the best place to live, work and play.”

The hands-free bill would provide safety and peace of mind, Hoffman said. The coalition has been fervidly supporting officials who want to make streets safer for Iowans.

Hoffman said hearing Reynolds support the law in the Condition of State address brought tears to his eyes. “Me and my fiancee both jumped from our seats and yelled because we were so excited,” Hoffman said.

He said it was a culmination of a very emotional process after hearing the many tragic stories from families who have been impacted by distracted drivers.

“Hands-free to me means making Iowa the best place it can be, it means making people have peace of mind and feel safe, it means justice for victims of families that have been impacted by this and it means moving our state forward so we that can focus all the other things we need to do,” Hoffman said.

José Mendiola is a breaking news reporter for the Register. Reach him at jmendiola@dmreg.com or follow him on X @mendiola_news.