DES MOINES, IA (KCCI/CNN) - Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad is expected to resign Wednesday so he can be sworn-in as the new U.S. ambassador to China. The U.S. Senate confirmed Branstad on Monday by a 82 to 13 vote.
Once Branstad resigns, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, 57, will replace him to become Iowa's first female governor. Branstad is throwing his full support behind Reynolds to do the job.
"Nobody has ever been as well-prepared to be governor as Kim Reynolds and that is why I am proud to support her and support her for re-election in this office. And I know she's got to earn it by what she does but I think she's proven to me that she's ready to do the job and do it well,” Branstad said on Tuesday.
After Branstad resigns and is sworn-in, he will go through a three-week orientation in Washington before moving to China this summer.
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