A Democratic Iowa state senator announced Tuesday he will run for governor, touting himself as a youthful alternative to incumbent Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, who is 66.
“Our state has tremendous opportunity ahead of it, but we need new leadership and a fresh perspective that understands the rapid pace of change in the world and economy to reach our full potential,” Tyler Olson, 37, said in a statement this morning, according to the Des Moines Register. “I have the experience and energy to lead us into Iowa’s next chapter.”
Olson has been in the state legislature for just over six years. If he enters the race as expected, Branstad would be running for a sixth term and, if successful, would become the nation’s longest-serving governor.
On the Democratic side, veteran state Sen. Jack Hatch is also running.
